Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino teased big announcements on Monday as he prepares to return to the airwaves following his short stint inside the Trump administration.
Bongino <a href="https://x.com/dbongino/status/2008286877355212879">said</a> he wants to push the conservative movement back to foundational principles and call out voices on the Right that he believes are threatening conservatism heading into the important 2026 midterm elections. Despite leaving the FBI last month, Bongino has remained a loyal supporter of President Donald Trump and his agenda.
&#8220;I started in this movement as a candidate during the Tea Party movement, and I began my political commentary career shortly thereafter. I helped build this movement and I sure as hell am not going to let it get hijacked by a group of black-pillers, life-losers, grifters and bums,&#8221; Bongino said.
&#8220;We are a movement guided by truth. The essence of conservative ideology is the preservation of eternal truths. We are not the &#8216;latest thing&#8217; group. We are not political cannibals,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I’ve watched quietly from the inside while doing the job I was hired to do, but I’m back now, and it’s time to restore balance to the force.&#8221;
Bongino&#8217;s return to podcasting and his vow to take on &#8220;grifters and bums&#8221; comes at a defining moment for the conservative movement. Last month, during Turning Point USA&#8217;s AmericaFest, one of the largest events of the year for conservatives, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-at-tpusa-the-right-needs-truth-not-grifters-and-frauds">called out</a> &#8220;grifters&#8221; on the Right — specifically, Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens — for spouting views that are antithetical to conservative ideals.
In an earlier post on Monday, Bongino <a href="https://x.com/dbongino/status/2008250081753927703">promised</a> to reveal the exact date he would return to his show &#8220;soon&#8221; after he spends some time with his family. Bongino <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-dan-bongino-wants-to-go-back-to-his-show?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dan+Bongino+Leaving+FBI%3A+%E2%80%98God+Bless+America%2C+And+All+Those+Who+Defend+Her%E2%80%99">announced</a> on December 17 that he would be leaving the bureau and thanked President Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi for the opportunity to serve as deputy director. Bongino&#8217;s final day was on Saturday, and he appeared to leave on good terms with Trump and Patel.
&#8220;This FBI is saving lives, protecting innocent kids, and taking deadly drugs off our streets at levels not seen in decades. None of it would’ve been possible without Dan’s leadership and support. And he paved the way for even better things to come,&#8221; Patel said on Sunday.
Bongino addressed some of the &#8220;infighting&#8221; on the Right in his post on Monday. Some of the divisions in the conservative movement under the second Trump administration stemmed from the administration&#8217;s handling of the Epstein case, with the FBI playing a major role in the investigation. Bongino, along with Patel and Bondi, were criticized over their work investigating the Epstein files after they concluded that there was no Epstein client list.
Bongino did not mention the Epstein saga in his post on Monday, but said that conservatives need to focus on the upcoming midterm elections and blasted those on the Right who spend their time &#8220;b*tching and whining.&#8221;
&#8220;We’ve got midterms coming up, and there’s no time for bullsh*t. This administration is cooking and REAL change simmers. If you’re spending your entire day b*tching and whining with 3/4ths of the term still to go, then please find the exits,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There’s no time for it. It’s not &#8216;infighting&#8217; when you excise a cancer killing the host. It’s &#8216;outfighting&#8217; because you’re not part of any movement I’m familiar with.&#8221;

Dan Bongino

Bongino Prepares To Take On ‘Grifters And Bums’ In Return To Conservative Commentary

Donald Trump

Epstein Files

Turning Point USA

At a ceremony in Arizona on the eve of Turning Point USA’s 2025 America Fest, a crowd cheered as Erika Kirk announced that the organization’s headquarters would be renamed the “Buckman Campus.”
Nelda and Karl Buckman donated $10 million to TPUSA this past summer, the largest gift in the organization’s history. Before he was assassinated in September, founder Charlie Kirk told the Buckmans he would rename the campus he built in recognition of their generosity.
&#8220;You know what I loved about Charlie was he wasn&#8217;t afraid to ask,&#8221; Nelda Buckman told The Daily Wire. &#8220;I know that it&#8217;s well invested, and I know that it&#8217;s gonna be well used. I just am so excited to have that opportunity.&#8221;
Buckman said she and her husband were waiting for the sale of their company to close before making the multimillion-dollar donation. She said she&#8217;s thankful it happened this summer, so Kirk received the money before he was murdered.
&#8220;We were able to give it in June, so he knew,&#8221; Nelda said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a joy to be able to do it, really and truly.&#8221;
Charlie&#8217;s relationship with the Buckmans goes back years.
&#8220;The thing about Charlie that was fascinating to me is I would get text messages, and I would think, &#8216;Oh, how neat, he&#8217;s got a great intern sending me a Bible verse.&#8217; Then I found out, no, that was Charlie. Sometimes I would send him a verse back or maybe something funny, but I always thought it was very interesting that Charlie was not too busy to reach out to the people he cared about.&#8221;
Now the philanthropist is spending more time with Erika. They talk TPUSA, expanding the high school division called Club America, but what Nelda says they really enjoy bonding over is motherhood.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlie-kirk-gave-his-team-an-impossible-task-now-theyre-fighting-to-make-it-a-reality?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Charlie+Kirk+Gave+His+Team+An+Impossible+Task.+Now+They%E2%80%99re+Fighting+To+Make+It+A+Reality.">Charlie Kirk Gave His Team An Impossible Task. Now They’re Fighting To Make It A Reality</a>
&#8220;Erika and I talked about womanhood and what our culture has been teaching our young women and what we want to teach our young women.&#8221;
The two met privately in Florida ahead of America Fest and the dedication ceremony, where Nelda said she offered Erika personal support and spoke with her about the challenges of navigating her new reality as a single mother, leading the organization, and carrying forward her late husband’s legacy.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve met several times before, but this was just, just different,&#8221; Nelda said. &#8220;She shared where she&#8217;s putting her boundaries.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1021817" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1021817" class="size-large wp-image-1021817" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-48.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Josh Thifault</div>
At the December 17 dedication ceremony, three months after Kirk was fatally shot, Nelda and Erika embraced onstage. Nelda later said she noticed a change in Erika’s eyes, shaped by what she described as the unimaginable experience she had endured.
&#8220;The most beautiful thing to me was seeing her soft eyes again,&#8221; Nelda said.
Buckman noted that Erika has had to be fierce in the face of tragedy, attributing her ability to protect her family and company to her maternal instincts.
&#8220;We as mamas and we as women sometimes have to have those fierce moments, and to be criticized for it is the [saddest] thing.&#8221;
Erika has kept TPUSA going. The college tour continues, and AmFest was the biggest to date. She has promised exponential growth for the organization in honor of Charlie.
&#8220;One of the things that Erika said at the investors meeting in Palm Beach was &#8216;We&#8217;re gonna stay on the path that Charlie had us going on, but we will elevate,&#8217; and I just thought that was such a beautiful way to put it. We&#8217;ll elevate, and we will grow,&#8221; Nelda said.
To say the $10 million donation will help TPUSA grow is an understatement. The Buckmans placed no restrictions or conditions on the gift, saying they simply wanted to see an organization that keeps faith at the center of every decision continue to thrive.
&#8220;We didn&#8217;t put any strings attached to it. It&#8217;s a gift.&#8221;

Credit: Josh Thifault

Turning Point USA Begins New Year With Renamed Headquarters Following $10 Million Gift

Arizona

News

Congress might soon be getting a Gen Z conservative shakeup.
Michael Alfonso, 25, is seeking to replace Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin’s Seventh Congressional District, as Tiffany is running for governor in 2026. The deep red seat was previously held by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is Alfonso’s father-in-law.
Alfonso explained what it’s like being a Gen Z candidate to The Daily Wire’s AmericaFest pre-show earlier this month.
“It&#8217;s going really well. I think everyone was worried about a 25-year-old running for Congress and everyone we&#8217;ve met, no matter how old or young, they&#8217;re excited to see someone that shows them that when the older generation is no longer here, there is still hope for the country,” he said.
He also said that Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September has served as a motivator for him to get politically active in a more direct way.
“I’ve heard it put that it was like seeing a family member die when Charlie got shot. And I think it changed a lot of paths in life. It’s the reason why I’m running for Congress sitting here, and I couldn’t be more appreciative to Turning Point for everything they do and bringing me to this event,” the Republican added, as he also spoke on a panel at the event with other Congressional candidates.
His campaign comes as multiple reports have shown that Gen Z is <a href="https://www.theupandup.us/p/gen-z-teens-conservative-shift-gallup-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more conservative</a> than their parents&#8217; generation, in addition to other research showing that young people are paving the way for increased church attendance, according to the <a href="https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barna Group</a>.
On the issues, he said that immigration and inflation are his top concerns.
“We need to make sure the government isn’t wasting our money on every single thing they do, and we need to make sure that the only people that are here in the United States being a burden or taking tax dollars from the system are United States citizens,” he said.
His wife, Evita Duffy-Alfonso, specifically pointed out that her decision to get married young, as well as coming from a large family, is uniquely counter-cultural.
“So we met for the first time in middle school, so we’ve known each other for a very long time, and I don’t know, I just think, why delay happiness? Why wait?” she said about meeting Alfonso. Her parents famously met on the MTV reality show “The Real World” in the 90s, and now have nine children together.
“If you find someone who you love, who shares your values, why delay that?” she continued.
“&#8217;I need to build my career or get a master’s degree before.&#8217; You put all these restrictions on yourself, and the greatest joys in your life really are your family. It’s your husband, it’s your children,” Duffy-Alfonso added. “I know this because go what my parents demonstrated for me and my siblings… I think a lot of people think that they are going to be happier replaying life, and delaying marriage, and that’s usually not the case.”

Charlie Kirk

How Charlie Kirk Is Inspiring A 25-Year-Old Republican Through His Congressional Bid

Congress

Generation Z

President Donald Trump puts Iran and its proxies on notice, the judge in the Charlie Kirk case rules on the side of transparency, and the United States sees a historical single-year drop in murders.
It’s Tuesday, December 30, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>Trump Hosts Netanyahu At Mar-a-Lago</h2>
President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago on Monday as both countries face new tensions with Iran. The meeting came as Trump makes an end-of-year push on some of his foreign policy priorities. After the meeting, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-supports-israel-attacking-iran-again-as-he-welcomes-netanyahu-to-mar-a-lago">said</a> that the United States would step in if Iran attempted to rebuild its military, especially its nuclear weapons program. Trump and Netanyahu also discussed the future of Gaza. The president said that “there will be hell to pay” if Hamas refuses to disarm so his peace plan can move forward.
<h2>Judge Orders Release Of Hearing In Kirk Case</h2>
A Utah judge has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-orders-transcripts-audio-to-be-made-public-from-hearing-for-accused-charlie-kirk-assassin?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Judge+Orders+Transcripts%2C+Audio+To+Be+Made+Public+From+Hearing+For+Accused+Charlie+Kirk+Assassin">ordered</a> the release of sealed hearings in the trial against Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson. On Monday afternoon, during a hearing on the extent of media access in this case, Fourth District Judge Tony Graf Jr. ordered the release of transcripts and an audio recording from a previously closed-door session held in October. Graf ruled that, given the case&#8217;s high profile, the public has an interest in certain portions of the hearing. He said those portions that could risk the safety of anyone involved in the case can be redacted. Meanwhile, Turning Point USA continues to press forward with Kirk’s conservative mission. Reports indicate that more than 32,000 students have signed up, and the organization is now opening dozens of chapters daily.
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<h2>Murder Rate Plummets In 2025</h2>
According to a new report, 2025 saw the largest single-year drop in murders in American history. There was roughly a 20% drop in homicides from 2024 to 2025, according to the Real Time Crime Index. The drop was 13% from 2023 to 2024. Crime surged in 2021 due to the pandemic, according to the Department of Justice. Democrats have mainly attributed that increase to lockdowns; Republicans say that left-wing policies fueled the rise and led to soft-on-crime officials reaching influential positions in the justice system.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump

Morning Brief: Trump Warns Iran & Charlie Kirk Murder Revelations

Benjamin Netanyahu

Crime

Morning Wire

United States

A heavily-redacted Epstein document dump revives questions about his associates, including former President Bill Clinton; the United States wallops ISIS targets in Syria while the Venezuelan oil blockade continues; and Turning Point USA&#8217;s AmericaFest wraps up with fireworks.
It’s Monday, December 22, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the video version can be seen on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251222-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Epstein Files Released</h2>
The Justice Department has begun publishing thousands of pages of material tied to its investigations of Jeffrey Epstein. But the rollout has sparked immediate controversy with claims of heavy redactions and missing files. Because of the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed last month, the DOJ released an initial batch of over 13,000 files. These include investigative materials, grand jury transcripts from cases adjudicated in the early 2000s, police reports, flight logs, handwritten phone messages, and dozens of photographs. Though some of the material is new, none of it is blockbuster news. There are still hundreds of thousands of records under review that will be released on a rolling basis in the coming weeks, however.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">U.S. Hits ISIS</h2>
President Trump has followed through on his promise to avenge three Americans killed in Syria last week, carrying out dozens of strikes against ISIS in Syria. On Friday, the U.S. military, with some help from Jordan, hit 70+ ISIS targets across Syria. An early report from a Syria monitoring group said that at least five ISIS terrorists were killed. Most of the destruction was of ISIS infrastructure, including munitions, supplies, and hideouts. War Secretary Pete Hegseth tamped down fears that this could lead to a wider conflict. Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/2002140737060692098">said</a>, “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump’s leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">TPUSA’s AmFest Wraps Up</h2>
Turning Point USA’s big annual conference, AmericaFest, had more eyes than ever on it this year as organizers set out to honor its founder Charlie Kirk and give the stage to the most influential voices in the conservative movement. The event wrapped with some surprises–the major one coming on Sunday when Ericka Kirk walked rapper Nicki Minaj out on the main stage to talk about her respect for President Trump. The event was also full of fiery speeches that generated many headlines across the media. But while the media and the internet were full of controversy, the feeling on the floor of the conference felt communal and high-energy, according to Daily Wire reporters at the event.

MRN_251222_V2 (1)

Morning Brief: Epstein Files Released, U.S. Hits ISIS In Syria, And AmFest Comes To A Close

AMFEST

Department of Defense

Department of Justice

Jeffrey Epstein

Pete Hegseth

Syria

The Department of Homeland Security is recruiting new officers and agents to help carry out its mass deportation campaign at Turning Point USA&#8217;s AmericaFest this week.
With an influx of $165 billion from Trump&#8217;s One Big Beautiful Bill, DHS has focused on hiring more officers and agents to ramp up arrests and deportations. DHS arrived at the conference with a BearCat armored vehicle and signage reading &#8220;Decide America&#8217;s future, rise to your potential &amp; defend the homeland.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re looking for American patriots willing to defend the homeland, and honor the vision of America Charlie Kirk fought for,&#8221; DHS wrote on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
DHS is at <a href="https://twitter.com/TPUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TPUSA</a> Amfest! We’re looking for American patriots willing to defend the homeland, and honor the vision of America Charlie Kirk fought for.
Swing by our booth to learn more! <a href="https://t.co/EQDwbP1KTJ">pic.twitter.com/EQDwbP1KTJ</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/2002066774624456942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Trump administration&#8217;s goal is to hire 3,000 new Customs officers, 3,000 new Border Patrol agents, and 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in order to accomplish its goal of carrying out one million deportations each year.
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The administration is currently short of that goal, with more than 605,000 deportations since Inauguration Day.
The agency is offering up to $50,000 in sign-on bonuses to entice new recruits. DHS has also asked former law enforcement officers to return to the job.
ICE has already met its goal after receiving 220,000 applications, the agency <a href="https://x.com/ICEgov/status/2001760767511793893" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Thursday.
&#8220;Our Defend the Homeland recruitment campaign is the MOST SUCCESSFUL federal law enforcement recruitment campaign in American history,&#8221; ICE recently said on X.
AmericaFest is expected to have roughly 30,000 attendees, making it the largest turnout yet.

Untitled design – 2025-12-19T125927.958

DHS Looks To Recruit At AmericaFest For Its Mass Deportation Campaign

DHS Looks To Recruit For Its Mass Deportation Campaign At AmericaFest

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

mass deportation

WATCH DAY FOUR OF AMFEST HERE: 
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LIVE UPDATES: Turning Point USA’s AmFest Brings Out Surprise Guest Nicki Minaj

Ben Shapiro

Michael Knowles

The Daily Wire

This past August in Aspen, Colorado, Charlie Kirk set his team an impossible goal. 
Kirk was convinced high school was the most important outreach point, according to Josh Thifault, who spearheads the Club America initiative for Turning Point USA. It’s when young Americans decide what values they want to build their life on. By the time many reach college, where TPUSA has a massive footprint, it’s already too late.
At the Colorado meeting for TPUSA leadership, Kirk told Thifault and his team that they weren’t close to where they needed to be. They had 1,200 Club America chapters. Kirk said that number needed to be 20,000. 
That was the last conversation Thifault had with his longtime friend and boss. Since Kirk’s assassination weeks later on September 10, Thifault has made it his mission to get the 20,000 Club America chapters, honoring his friend’s final request.
Thifault says there has already been a surge of requests to start Club America chapters, taking the number from 1,200 to 3,000. He now thinks the “almost impossible goal” can be a reality.
“God has given us an opportunity to achieve Charlie&#8217;s almost impossible goal,” Thifault tells The Daily Wire. “His ways are not our ways, but it is our responsibility to see this through.” 
The response to Kirk’s political assassination has been described as a political revival on the Right, with a surge of interest in the organization. It sold out tickets for its flagship convention this weekend, America Fest, cutting off registration weeks ago because the massive convention center hit capacity.
Thifault says TPUSA has grown into more than just a conservative organization.
“We&#8217;re watching Turning Point evolve from being more than just a conservative politically-themed organization,” Thifault says. “I&#8217;m watching our students care more and more about faith, I&#8217;m watching our students care more about the social aspects of our value system. They have a lot of questions about getting married, a lot of questions about having kids.”
Thifault is capitalizing on TPUSA’s growing reach by working directly with states to put Club America chapters in every high school. The longtime TPUSA executive has secured partnerships with Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis invited 150 TPUSA students to the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee after announcing the partnership. Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a large-scale press conference in Austin, where his Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, announced a $1 million donation to the Club America and TPUSA expansion in the Lone Star State. In Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn and Riley Gaines fired up the crowd of students on-site at the State Capitol to stand up for their values.
“I watched these state leaders one by one catch that vision that Charlie instilled in us before he died,” Thifault says. “It’s very important for the people in charge of the state to catch that vision. They&#8217;re not just doing it to honor Charlie, they’re doing it because they understand the way that changes the social fabric of their state.”
In Thifault’s speech at the Nashville event with Blackburn and Gaines, he predicted that it would have a permanent political impact on the state.
“You cannot fundamentally change the fabric of a nation unless the heart of the nation turns back to God, and that starts in you,” Thifault <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-and-turning-point-usa-team-up-to-start-chapters-at-every-high-school?author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+And+Turning+Point+USA+Team+Up+To+Start+Chapters+At+Every+High+School">said</a> at the event. “We will look back on this day and say Tennessee was permanently a conservative state for 50 years, 100 years, because of the courage of our state leaders today.”
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-and-turning-point-usa-team-up-to-start-chapters-at-every-high-school?author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+And+Turning+Point+USA+Team+Up+To+Start+Chapters+At+Every+High+School">Tennessee And Turning Point USA Team Up To Start Chapters At Every High School</a>
The partnerships ensure that Club America chapters can be formed at any school, no matter what administrators think about it. Thifault says every conservative governor in the nation should follow suit.
“I&#8217;m calling on every conservative governor in the nation to do an event like this with us and make promises, and create a culture where a leftist teacher or administrator is scared to trample on the First Amendment rights of a 15-year-old.”
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1016681" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1016681" class="wp-image-1016681 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by Aaron E. Martinez/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images</div>
Thifault has spent the last three months calling lawmakers, scheduling meetings with governors to make Kirk’s goal of 20,000 Club America chapters a reality. 
“It&#8217;s just a lot of clipboard and tennis shoes-style activism right now.”
The boots-on-the-ground work Thifault is doing reminds him of his early days with Kirk, when they worked together a decade ago to get TPUSA off the ground. 
“Charlie was working 100 to 120 hours a week, he would be so busy that he wouldn’t have time to eat,” Thifault recalled. “He would get enough calories to stay alive by drinking a morning latte.” 
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1016691" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1016691" class="size-large wp-image-1016691" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Josh Thifault</div>
&nbsp;
Thifault says the surge to 3,000 chapters doesn’t even represent how much momentum is behind the initiative.
“The demand is even greater than the growth. In the weeks following Charlie’s passing, we had 135,000 people reach out, saying they wanted to start or join chapters.”
Thifault says TPUSA has been ready to respond to the demand because of Erika Kirk’s leadership. Erika took over for her husband as the leader of TPUSA and immediately went to work on doubling the infrastructure of the organization in 2026.
“She&#8217;s very passionate about this,” Thifault said. “I am thrilled not just with that, but also with her focus on the spiritual — which you&#8217;ve seen in a lot of her speeches. The reason why we&#8217;re able to grow this quickly is because Erika has continued the visions Charlie put in place.”
Erika has been praised for how quickly she stepped into the leadership role while still grieving her husband’s death. Thifault said Charlie left specific instructions on how he wanted his company to move forward in case something happened to him. 
“It was because Charlie explicitly left wishes that she take over with the goal of continuing the set vision for the organization,” Thifault says. “He was keenly aware that something could happen to him, and he wanted the train to keep going in the same direction.”
The fall tour, the biggest convention ever, and rapid expansion are all things Thifault said are because of Erika’s commitment to Charlie’s mission. 
“I cannot overstate the importance of that,” Thifault said.
TPUSA has come a long way from its first end-of-year conference in 2015, which Thifault attended. It was about 100 students, in a room with no windows, eager to hear Charlie Kirk’s message. 
Ten years later, there are 30,000 people in a convention center. It’s the first conference without Kirk, but his message lives on — build a movement rooted in faith, freedom, and love of country, and bring it to the next generation.
“What&#8217;s the best thing spiritually and culturally and politically for the nation? When a student is a teenager, show them the truth and let them build their lives on it,” Thifault said. 
He said that’s possible through Club America.
“The most efficient thing we can do as a society is to make sure that before students even become adults, they’re building their lives on the way, the truth, and the light.”

Credit: Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Charlie Kirk Gave His Team An Impossible Task. Now They’re Fighting To Make It A Reality.

Florida

Tennessee

Texas

President Donald Trump declares a blockade on Venezuelan oil tankers, then addresses the nation in a rare primetime Oval Office speech, and Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest Conference kicks off under a new kind of spotlight.
It’s Thursday, December 18, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251218-member-exclusive">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Begins ‘Blockade’ Of Venezuela</h2>
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President Trump has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-complete-blockade-of-sanctioned-oil-tankers-moving-in-and-out-of-venezuela">announced</a> a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of Venezuela. It comes as the United States escalates a pressure campaign against the Maduro regime. The president is now putting pressure on the state-run oil industry of Venezuela and declared that Maduro’s government is a foreign terrorist organization. Trump warned that this “will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before.” The U.S. Navy in the region is expected to receive orders in the coming days to escalate operations. The president said the blockade of Venezuela will continue until Maduro returns “all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Addresses The Nation</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1016733" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Touts-Wins-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Touts-Wins-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Touts-Wins-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Touts-Wins-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Touts-Wins-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Trump-Touts-Wins.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-president-trump-addresses-nation-from-white-house">gave</a> a much-anticipated address to the nation late Wednesday night. The address was short on new announcements and read more like an attempt to set the tone for the midterms as the end of the year approaches. The most notable portion of the night came when the president announced the “Warrior Dividend,” a $1,776 payout for American service members, and said it would be paid to more than 1.4 million people before Christmas. This comes weeks after the possibility of a dividend payout to Americans from tariffs was floated, but this is the first time an element of that policy has materialized. The president also primarily focused his remarks on the economy, including the concept of affordability. Affordability has become a key topic and nearly a buzzword touted by Democrats and slammed as hypocritical by Republicans, including the president, in recent months as Biden-era inflation has cooled.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">AmFest Kicks Off</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1016737" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/AmFest-Carries-On-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/AmFest-Carries-On-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/AmFest-Carries-On-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/AmFest-Carries-On-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/AmFest-Carries-On-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/AmFest-Carries-On.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
TurningPoint USA’s annual AmericaFest conference <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daily-wire-to-stream-tpusas-america-fest">kicks</a> off Thursday, marking the first major TurningPoint event since the assassination of its founder, Charlie Kirk. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and members of the TurningPoint team have made it clear that they want Kirk’s mission to advance conservatism and his legacy to continue. Leaders have described this year’s AmFest as a “powerful celebration of faith, freedom, and the legacy of … Charlie Kirk.” Erika, who’s stepped in as TurningPoint’s CEO, is expected to speak, as are prominent conservatives including Vice President JD Vance, Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, and The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, and Michael Knowles. TurningPoint leadership seems to be stressing unity and free speech, despite the background noise over the past few months.

MRN_251218_V1

Morning Brief: Venezuelan Oil Blockade, Trump’s Address To America, & TPUSA’s AmFest Kicks Off

Morning Brief: Venezuela Blockade, Trump’s White House Address, & AmFest Kicks Off

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

White House

Actress Jenny McCarthy says the shock of Charlie Kirk’s assassination jolted her into a deeper search for faith, ultimately leading her to embrace Christianity in a way she never had before.
During a recent episode of Culture Apothecary with Turning Point USA podcast host Alex Clark, McCarthy discussed how Kirk’s tragic murder brought her closer to God and made her evaluate her relationship with Jesus. The former Playboy model said God used the horrible event for good, in her case.
“I was so broken…when he was shot, I prayed and prayed and prayed, and then I was calling every doctor I possibly could, saying, ‘Tell me that this wound is something that could be healed…’ It was such a dark day… With every horrible thing, if you find the good, it can help you move forward. Look at the mass awakening. Look at how many people came closer to God, even including myself,” McCarthy told Clark.
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The reality show judge said she was raised Catholic, but added that Kirk’s assassination served as a pivotal moment in her spiritual journey.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jenny McCarthy On Being Jesus First, Pro-Parents’ Rights, and Conservative" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uX6qigcqi7A?start=3941&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“I have a very deep relationship with God. You know, some people have to work really hard to hear Him. I’ve got a direct line. I mean, Jesus is my homie. I’ve always been a follower of Christ, but when [Charlie Kirk] passed, I completely surrendered. I am so devoted. I started Bible study immediately… [husband Donnie Wahlberg and I] just have become devout since Charlie’s passing.”
The actress went on to say that Kirk’s memorial felt like a “mass awakening.” She said, “I feel like Charlie knew exactly what he was doing. And I know he knew the sacrifice he was making.”
“He changed the world. He saved the world. I mean, imagine having that as your legacy… You brought all those people closer to Christ,” McCarthy added. “What a gift.”

Jenny McCarthy

Jenny McCarthy Says Charlie Kirk Helped Deepen Her Christian Faith

Celebrities

Christianity

Entertainment

U.S.

NASHVILLE—Nearly 100 students, bright-eyed and hungry for change, gathered at the Tennessee State Capitol Building Friday morning, some having driven all night to make it to the event.
There, in a room full of young conservatives, a group of Tennessee officials, including Senator Marsha Blackburn (R), announced a partnership with Turning Point USA. Soon, every high school in the state will have a chapter of Club America, TPUSA&#8217;s high school affiliate.
Club America, like all of TPUSA, aims to advance the mission of the group&#8217;s late founder, Charlie Kirk: make being a conservative cool.
&#8220;The founding of the country, the Constitution, capitalism,&#8221; TPUSA Senior Director Josh Thifault told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The branding is meant to feel like it&#8217;s something that everybody wants to be part of because I mean, who doesn&#8217;t want to be part of Club America? We wanted to create a presentation to high schools that would be very tough to say no to.&#8221;
Blackburn was joined by women&#8217;s sports activist Riley Gaines and Tennessee Senator Jack Johnson for the announcement. The Volunteer State joins Texas and Florida, which have also taken steps to launch Club America chapters throughout their states.
One of the last in-depth conversations Thifault had with Kirk before the latter was assassinated in September was about expanding Club America. Thifault said with Republican states fully backing the mission, TPUSA can get to Kirk&#8217;s goal of 20,000 chapters.
&#8220;I&#8217;m very thankful for all the commitments that Tennessee made,&#8221; he said Friday. &#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of wonderful people who worked a lot to make this happen. Also, I have to give special credit to Riley Gaines because she&#8217;s the one who, as soon as it became pretty clear we were working something out, shouted it from the rooftops.&#8221;
Gaines spent nearly an hour after the partnership was announced taking pictures with the students who traveled to Nashville for the event. The former Kentucky swimmer and new mom challenged the students to bring five friends to a Club America event and keep the movement growing.
&#8220;I think we&#8217;ve now understood that Tennessee, especially with the recent congressional race here in this district, is not immune,&#8221; Gaines said. &#8220;I think so many of us almost develop a sense of complacency because we think it can&#8217;t happen to me. Nobody is immune to the cultural chaos that is plaguing this nation and even plaguing this state.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1014301" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1014301" class="size-large wp-image-1014301" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-31.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Anna Katherine White</div>
One of the students who drove hours to be at the State Capitol on Friday was Riley Belt. The junior out of Providence Christian in Johnson City said Tennessee&#8217;s partnership with TPUSA makes her excited for her peers.
&#8220;Our generation is definitely a turning point,&#8221; Belt said. &#8220;We just want to be able to help teach kids like us how to help change our nation and lead us back to conservative values and back to Christ. That&#8217;s what it&#8217;s all about.&#8221;
Since Kirk&#8217;s assassination, Club America chapters in Tennessee have grown from 30 to 104. Belt helped start her school&#8217;s chapter in November. Because of the pact formed Friday, that number is only expected to grow.
&#8220;One person can&#8217;t do it on their own, but we&#8217;re surrounded by people who also share these values and want to make America what Charlie wanted it to be,&#8221; Belt said. &#8220;That&#8217;s what we&#8217;re fighting for.&#8221;

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

Tennessee And Turning Point USA Team Up To Start Chapters At Every High School

Marsha Blackburn

Riley Gaines

Social Issues

Cameras will be allowed inside the courtroom during the trial of alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, Utah Judge Tony Graf, Jr. ruled on Thursday.
Robinson appeared in court in person for the first time since his arrest in September. The 22-year-old Utah man is facing a slew of charges related to Kirk’s murder, including aggravated murder, felony use of a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
The judge said Thursday that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom during the trial, though located away from the table of Robinson and his legal team.
“I find that excluding … the cameras from the courtroom would be disproportionate for this hearing. I find that making it very clear, first, that the transmission cannot begin until court is in session and must end as the court ends the session, and cannot be filmed before or after,” the judge said.
He emphasized that the court may order the cameras on and off at the court’s discretion.
“I simply want to put all parties on notice–to the press, to all parties–that this court takes this very seriously. While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case,” he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The judge in Tyler Robinson’s case just ruled cameras will be allowed in the courtroom stating that doing otherwise would be &#8220;disproportionate for this hearing.&#8221; The people will get to see justice in action. <a href="https://t.co/hMhOWkLPkA">pic.twitter.com/hMhOWkLPkA</a>
— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) <a href="https://twitter.com/WatchChad/status/1999252868076085621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Robinson’s attorneys <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/judge-to-decide-degree-of-media-access-in-charlie-kirk-killing-case/4027110/">argued</a> against broadcasting the proceedings, voicing concerns that the flood of media attention and access to the courtroom could jeopardize Robinson’s right to a fair trial.
Friends and family of Kirk have argued in favor of broadcasting the trial. Kirk’s widow, Erika, said on Fox News last month that cameras are a matter of transparency.“There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered. There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UzqVlm8VXRI">said</a> Erika. “We deserve to have cameras in there. Why not be transparent?”

Tyler Robinson

Cameras Allowed In Court For Trial Of Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin, Judge Rules

Utah

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