The Charlie Kirk Show — AmFest 2025 Day 2
Date: December 19, 2025
Host: Charlie Kirk (team)
Guests/Voices: Steve Bannon, Jack Posobiec, Ben Berkwam, Graham Allen, Blake Neff, Savannah Hernandez, Monica Page, Michael Cernovich, “Brick Suit” Blake Marnell, Pastor Son’s sons, Turning Point Action team, and numerous audience/former Turning Point students.
Overview
This special episode, broadcast live from America Fest (AmFest) 2025, is a dynamic blend of tribute, activism, and political strategy. The Turning Point USA team and allied voices gather to honor the late Charlie Kirk’s legacy, dissect the future of the conservative movement, discuss practical grassroots action, and push for unity amidst fiery internal debate. The tone alternates between spirited banter, serious calls to action, heartfelt testimonials, and live polling from a crowd of nearly 31,000 attendees. AmFest’s theme this year: “Action, action, action,” and “Victory, Victory, Victory.”
Key Topics and Discussion Points
1. Honoring Charlie Kirk and the Importance of AmFest
- Charlie’s Vision and Legacy: Recognized as a generational activist who galvanized youth involvement, faced down adversity, and shifted the national youth vote.
- AmFest’s Growing Reach: Over 70% of this year’s 31,000 attendees are first-timers, signaling surging national enthusiasm.
- Steve Bannon’s Tribute ([00:06]):
“Charlie Kirk knew better than anybody what it took to win ... The guy was a hero, a patriot, and one of the greatest Americans, not just of this generation, but any generation.”
(Steve Bannon, 00:06:30)
2. Internal Movement Disagreements & Calls for Unity
- Civil War or Family Fight? Disagreement in the conservative movement is framed not as division, but as healthy, public debate that leads to stronger consensus.
- Jack Posobiec ([00:14]):
“Don’t let yourself be troubled ... These are fights we need to have. But I’m sick of the name-calling. Just be a man and tell me what you’re about.”
- Straw Poll & 2028 Primary Teasers: Live crowd polling on potential future GOP nominees (Cruz, DeSantis, Haley, Bannon, Trump, J.D. Vance) lightens the mood and signals openness to debate.
3. Charlie Kirk’s Coalition-Building & Youth Outreach
- Blake Neff on Charlie’s Impact ([00:44]):
“He was told for 12 years it was a fool’s errand, that he was just trying to grift to win the youth vote. The man never gave up ... He made the most historic and dramatic coalitional difference in 2024.”
- Grassroots Mobilization: Testimonies from students who started TPUSA chapters and ran for office because of Charlie’s inspiration; impact on Gen Z described as a “JFK moment” ([01:03]).
4. Open Debate at AmFest: Conflict on the Main Stage
- Ben Shapiro’s On-Stage Rebuke ([01:25]):
“Even if it were true that other public figures were our best friends ... that does not relieve us of our duty to speak out of principle and not to cover up evil or shy away from addressing it out of friendship.”
- Mike Cernovich’s Response ([01:29]):
“I think don’t do it here at this event ... If you lose, you’ve fallen for an illusion ... Winning elections and being a podcaster are two different things.”
- Blake Marnell ([01:32]):
“As Charlie has often said, when you stop talking to people, bad things start happening. On our own side now, we need to continue talking.”
5. Immigration and Frontlines Investigative Journalism
- Savannah Hernandez ([01:45]):
“If it wasn’t for Charlie, I wouldn’t have the ability to do this. The administration has been listening to everything we have been putting out ... ICE went and they raided that area ... the admin very much paying attention.”
- Monica Page: Shares experience covering the Trump White House post-2024, emphasizing more openness to independent, conservative media.
6. Issues of Religious Freedom Abroad: The Korea Segment
- Pastor Son’s Sons on Their Father’s Jailing ([02:12]):
“My father got arrested for criticizing candidates for pushing LGBT agenda and wokeism into schools ... If I am imprisoned, it will prove that Korea is no longer free.”
- Call to Action: Listeners are directed to support a petition for Pastor Son and recognize international threats to faith and speech.
7. Turning Point Action & Election Tactics
- Key Strategy: Shift focus to “red wall” states—Arizona, Nevada, New Hampshire—for 2026 and 2028 elections.
- Brett Galashevsky ([02:25]):
“We’re building the pieces so we can build that red wall ... Arizona became the best performing swing state in 2024 because of the work Turning Point Action did, getting out the vote.”
- Brandon Malley on New Hampshire strategy:
“Too many disengaged Republicans, lots of independents and libertarians ... but with year-round infrastructure, we can flip the script.”
8. “Action, Action, Action” and Audience Participation
- Success Stories & Grassroots Energy:
- Congressional candidate Wendy Huang started in city council after Charlie’s challenge ([01:11]).
- Students from Alabama share post-Charlie campus dynamics and commitment to “carry on his legacy” ([01:16]).
- Ben Berkwam Live Interviews ([01:54]): Diverse audience stories, especially from immigrant patriots and those at odds with family over politics.
- Testimonial from Galina, Soviet immigrant:
“Legal immigration versus illegal immigration. The left tries to blend the two ... I am ultra MAGA, ultra MAGA.”
9. Closing Themes — Keeping the Movement Together
- Megan Kelly Interview Preview: Upcoming on-stage conversation touches on handling internal criticism and keeping focus on “Charlie’s side.”
- Andrew and Posobiec ([02:59]):
“Everyone wants to know, whose side are you on? ... I’m on Charlie Kirk side. I’m on Turning Point side. I’m on America’s side.”
- Blake Neff: “Nothing beats in-person energy and the encouragement we get from being together here.”
Notable Quotes & Timestamps
- Charlie Kirk ([00:03]):
“My call is to fight evil and to proclaim truth. If the most important thing for you is just feeling good, you’re gonna end up miserable. But if the most important thing is doing good, you will end up purposeful.”
- Steve Bannon on Charlie ([00:06:30]):
“Charlie Kirk knew better than anybody what it took to win ... The guy was a hero, a patriot, and one of the greatest Americans, not just of this generation, but any generation.”
- Jack Posobiec on movement conflict ([00:17:10]):
“I’m sick of the name calling and the ankle biting. Just be a man and tell me what you’re about.”
- Ben Shapiro on principle over friendship ([01:25]):
“...that does not relieve us of our duty to speak out of principle and not to cover up evil or shy away from addressing it out of friendship.”
- Michael Cernovich on movement and influence ([01:29]):
“Being a podcaster and winning elections are two different things ... If you’re not getting out the vote, keep it to yourself.”
- Graham Allen ([01:08:10]):
“These are conversations that need to be had. These are fights that need to be had ... let the American people decide where they stand. That’s how we win.” “Charlie would be the first person to say these conversations need to happen because he was mission-first mentality, and the mission is to make heaven crowded ... we keep America free so we can spread the good news of Jesus Christ every single day.”
- Savannah Hernandez on investigative journalism ([01:51:20]):
“We’re following the news cycle. Luckily for me, the mainstream media does a horrific job at actually telling the American people the truth ... we are here to serve you guys.”
- Andy Biggs endorsement (paraphrased) ([01:13:00]):
“We are here partly in support of Andy Biggs, the next governor of the great state of Arizona.”
- Pastor Son’s sons ([02:12]):
“If you have enough of influence, even as a pastor, you’re not allowed to speak out even if the biblical values are being harmed ... Free speech is basically being violated in Korea.”
Important Segments/Timestamps
- Opening Tribute & Charlie’s Legacy — [00:03–00:12]
- AmFest’s Role & Bannon’s Analysis — [00:12–00:21]
- Straw Poll & 2028 Candidates — [00:22–00:28]
- Debates & Disagreements (Posobiec/Allen) — [00:29–00:42]; [01:08–01:13]
- Student & Grassroots Testimonies — [01:11–01:16]
- Ben Shapiro & On-Stage Fireworks — [01:25–01:33]
- Frontlines Journalism (Hernandez, Page) — [01:45–01:54]
- Immigration & Grassroots Stories — [01:54–02:04]
- Religious Persecution in Korea — [02:12–02:22]
- Turning Point Action Strategy — Red Wall/Chase The Vote ([02:25–02:37])
- Closing “Whose Side Are You On” and In-Person Energy — [02:97–03:01]
Final Takeaways
- Charlie Kirk’s influence is deeply felt, not only in the conservative youth movement but as a force shifting electoral politics at the state and national level.
- AmFest is positioned as both tribute and rallying point, with a call to respectful debate within the movement, but an over-arching focus on electoral victory.
- The value of real-world activism is a persistent theme—every guest, testimonial, and strategic segment pivots back to “action.”
- Open dialogue and disagreement are embraced as vital for movement health.
- TPUSA is transitioning from youth mobilization to being a central electioneering machine, with “get out the vote” strategies, state targeting, and volunteer mobilization for 2026/2028.
- The “enemy within” is internal complacency or endless online drama—participants caution against substituting social media for field work.
- Faith, family, and the fight for religious freedom, both domestically and abroad, are repeatedly invoked.
- The episode ends with anticipation for further fiery debate (Megan Kelly interview), but steadfast focus on Charlie’s example: “Victory. Victory. Victory.”
For extended coverage, visit charliekirk.com or join the TPUSA frontlines and Turning Point Action efforts for upcoming election cycles.