The Charlie Kirk Show
Episode: Charlie’s 32nd Birthday
Date: October 14, 2025
Host: Charlie Kirk (posthumous tribute—show hosted by Andrew Colvett and Blake Neff)
Guests: Secretary of the Treasury Scott Besant, Counselor to the Secretary Joe LaVorgna, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Senator Mike Lee
Theme: Remembering Charlie Kirk—Legacy, Impact, and the Future of the Conservative Movement
Overview
This deeply emotional episode was dedicated to honoring Charlie Kirk on what would have been his 32nd birthday. The hosts, team members, and high-profile guests reflected on Charlie's impact as a cultural and political leader, his grassroots activism, faith, and advocacy for young Americans. The episode served as both a somber memorial and a mobilizing manifesto, detailing how Charlie’s legacy is shaping the ongoing conservative movement. Key figures discussed his influence, shared memorable anecdotes, and provided updates on policy initiatives he championed, culminating in the anticipation for Charlie’s posthumous awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump.
Key Segments & Discussion Points
1. Opening Tribute & Legacy of Charlie Kirk
[00:03–02:46]
- The episode opens with Charlie's voice, reiterating his central life tenets: fighting for good, informing youth about the value of purpose over comfort, discouraging conventional paths like traditional college, and encouraging marriage, family, activism, and faith.
- Quote:
> "If the most important thing for you is just feeling good, you're going to end up miserable. But if the most important thing is doing good, you will end up purposeful." —Charlie Kirk [00:03]
2. Reflections from Secretary of the Treasury Scott Besant
[02:46–14:54]
- Besant recounts his last interactions with Charlie and discusses the brutal impact of his assassination, speculating on the possible intentions to destabilize the MAGA and America First movements.
- Emphasizes Charlie's multifaceted persona: family man, Christian, patriot, educator, and self-taught finance expert who championed financial literacy, optimism, and inclusion of young people in the American system.
- Draws a parallel between Charlie and Norman Vincent Peale, describing Charlie as the 'Power of Positive Thinking' voice for his generation.
- Refers to the nation's ongoing cultural schism, praising Charlie's determination to bring faith, education, and patriotism to the fore for future generations.
- Quote:
"Charlie was the Norman Vincent Peale for your generation." —Scott Besant [06:12]
"If you wanted to try to end the [America First] movement, the way to do it was to assassinate Charlie." —Scott Besant [02:46]
3. Listener Tributes & Personal Impact
[08:40–10:19, 15:39–16:42, 34:37–35:36, 47:18–49:36, 59:24–59:48, 74:10–74:29, 81:30–81:53]
- The hosts read hundreds of heartfelt emails and messages from listeners describing how Charlie’s teachings brought them back to faith, strengthened families, and inspired civic engagement.
- Quote:
"Because of you, I went back to church and took our children. Because of you, I am a better wife, a better mother, a better person. Your words made me realize that the only way for me was through Jesus... My job was never to get my children into Harvard. It was to get them into heaven." —Barbara, listener email [47:42]
"Charlie was a gift on loan from God, a prophet in his time, God-fearing, intelligent, kind." —Jolene, listener email [74:10]
4. The Challenge of Reaching and Revitalizing Main Street
[11:27–14:54, 25:42–27:20]
- Discussion centered on Charlie’s focus on uplifting the “muscular class”—working Americans—and supporting Main Street over Wall Street.
- Besant and the team discuss policy moves supporting small businesses, trades, agricultural lending, and promoting alternatives to college.
- Acknowledgement of the administration’s deregulatory agenda and precision manufacturing initiatives designed to create opportunity and reindustrialize the economy.
5. Charlie’s Economic Philosophy & Policy Influence
[14:54–15:29, 23:13–33:18]
- Charlie’s self-taught expertise in economics, particularly the Austrian School and Milton Friedman, influenced both his thinking and policy advocacy.
- Counselor Joe LaVorgna explains Trump administration’s economic gains, labor market challenges, and policy steps to make homeownership and economic participation accessible to young Americans.
- The cap on government student loans leads to private institutions lowering tuition—cited as an example of private sector adjustment to government action.
- Quote:
"He was, as Benjamin Franklin was to electricity... he was to economics." —Scott Besant [15:23]
6. Addressing Political Violence & Left-Wing Radicalism
[17:17–20:56, 71:15–74:10]
- Hosts and officials highlight Charlie’s last warning: the need to dismantle radical left organizations fomenting violence.
- Treasury’s ongoing initiatives to follow the financial networks behind domestic unrest, paralleling post-9/11 anti-terror protocols.
- Senator Mike Lee discusses the chilling normalization of celebrating political violence on the left, referencing polls showing substantial support for violence among young progressives.
- Quote:
"Charlie's death is like a domestic 9/11... we are going to find. It has alerted us to what Charlie knew, that these organizations are working within our borders." —Scott Besant [18:00]
7. Charlie as Catalyst, Educator, and Martyr
[42:56–46:52, 62:23–66:12, 76:33–76:34]
- Guests recall Charlie’s humility, constant self-improvement, courage in facing opposition, and unique appeal to youth through authenticity.
- Lee Zeldin and others marvel at Charlie's broad influence, noting stadium-filling events and his evolution from passionate firebrand to wise mentor.
- Both colleagues and listeners agree that Charlie, while never achieving political office, holds an immortal role as a martyr for his faith and movement.
- Quote:
"He is a martyr... the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." —Andrew Colvett [76:33]
"He would have been president... this happened almost in my backyard." —Sen. Mike Lee [62:23]
8. Policy Deep Dives: Housing, AI, College, and EPA’s New Direction
[25:42–33:18, 50:05–54:10]
- Guests discuss policy responses to the issues Charlie cared deeply about: housing affordability, runaway student debt, AI’s impact on jobs, and the need for skills-based (not degree-based) upward mobility.
- Lee Zeldin describes EPA reforms: massive deregulation, right-sizing the agency, and ensuring a pro-growth, pro-environment agenda.
- Quote:
"It's not a binary choice between protecting the environment and growing the economy. We choose both at the Trump EPA..." —Lee Zeldin [50:43]
9. The Continuing Culture War & Importance of Outreach
[56:13–59:10]
- Zeldin emphasizes confronting the left’s control of cultural language (e.g., "environmental justice," "climate justice") and challenging deceptive NGO activities.
- Urges conservatives to leave their comfort zone and directly engage those who disagree, mirroring Charlie's campus activism.
10. Media, Shutdown, and Final Thoughts
[37:24–38:33, 68:03–80:34]
- Shut down discussions with economic implications, detailed breakdown of government dysfunction and negotiation deadlock.
- Mike Lee critiques inflammatory leftist media (notably the Pat Bagley cartoon incident), linking it to the atmosphere that enables political violence, and cautions about overgrown government.
11. Charlie Kirk’s Final Honors—Presidential Medal of Freedom
[47:04–47:06, 55:20–55:56, 81:53–82:19]
- President Trump—having returned from a breakthrough peace summit—will award Charlie the Medal of Freedom in an unprecedented outpouring, with the Rose Garden venue moved to accommodate massive crowds.
- Reflection on the enormity of Charlie’s legacy and the continuing duty of his team, family, and supporters to carry his message forward.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“He was the Norman Vincent Peale for your generation.”
—Secretary Scott Besant [06:12] -
“He could talk [economics] with the best of them.”
—Andrew Colvett on Charlie Kirk [15:29] -
“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
—Charlie Kirk’s journal, as shared by Andrew Colvett [76:34] -
“If you believe the system works, which I do, which he did, you want to bring more people into the system and it's through education.”
—Scott Besant [04:23] -
“My job was never to get my children into Harvard. It was to get them into heaven.”
—Listener Barbara [47:59] -
“He inspired 277,000 devices at his memorial. We could have filled three, four stadiums.”
—Andrew Colvett [42:56] -
“I am sober over three weeks, thank God... I now wear a cross around my neck proudly... I know countless others have changed their lives in similar ways. I can't help but think these are the best birthday gifts you could have ever hoped for.”
—Listener Jen from Canada [15:39]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Opening & Charlie’s Voice: [00:03–00:46]
- Treasury Sec. Besant’s Tribute: [02:46–14:54]
- Listener Email Tributes Start: [08:40]
- Financial Literacy & Youth Policy: [14:54–15:29, 23:13–33:18]
- Combating Radical Political Violence: [17:17–20:56, 71:15–74:10]
- EPA Lee Zeldin’s Direction: [50:05–54:10]
- Senator Mike Lee Tribute: [62:23–66:12]
- Rush Limbaugh Reflections: [74:29–76:22]
- Shutdown & Government Size: [78:42–80:34]
- Preparation for Medal of Freedom: [47:04–47:06, 55:20–55:56, 81:53–82:19]
Conclusion: The Path Forward
Through moving tributes, concrete policy discussion, and relentless energy from friends, colleagues, and listeners, the episode cast Charlie Kirk as a rare generational leader, teacher, and martyr for faith, family, and the American dream. His mission—to empower youth, revitalize faith, restore American optimism, expose left-wing radicalism, and serve “Main Street” over elites—continues, immortalized in the movement he shaped and now, as the show’s hosts assert, in America’s heart and conscience.