Erika Kirk, the widow of slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, delivered an emotional but determined message this week: her husband’s “American Comeback Tour” will not only continue but grow.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the September 10 assassination of her husband during a campus event in Orem, Utah, Erika vowed that his work and voice would endure.
“Our campus tour this fall will continue,” she said. “There will be even more tours in the years to come. AmericaFest here in Phoenix this December will go on. It will be greater than ever. The radio and podcast show that he was so proud of will go on. And in a world filled with chaos, doubt, and uncertainty, my husband’s voice will remain. And it will ring out louder and more clearly than ever. And his wisdom will endure.”
Utah State Stop Confirmed
Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, confirmed that the tour is scheduled to resume in just two weeks, with a stop at Utah State University on September 30.
The announcement drew cheers from supporters across social media, many of whom said they planned to attend in honor of Kirk’s legacy. For Turning Point, the continuation of the tour marks not just a tribute but a defiant stand against political violence.
New Revelations From Prosecutors
Even as Kirk’s movement presses forward, disturbing new details continue to emerge about the suspect accused of carrying out his murder.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray released court documents describing a note that Tyler Robinson allegedly left under his roommate’s keyboard. The message was blunt:
“I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
Robinson, 22, also texted his roommate to “drop everything” and read the note. Prosecutors say Robinson added, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
The communications, authorities argue, underscore a clear political motive and aggravated factors in the crime.
Republicans Slam Media Narrative
The revelations undercut an initial wave of speculation from some corners of the media, including late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who suggested Robinson was secretly a Trump supporter. On Sunday, however, Utah officials stated that Robinson had a “leftist ideology.”
Furious Republicans have blasted Democrats and left-leaning media outlets for attempting to muddy the waters, arguing that years of incendiary rhetoric from the left against Trump supporters helped fuel the toxic climate.
Conservatives point to repeated instances where Democrats have referred to Republicans as “Nazis,” “fascists,” “homophobes,” and “threats to democracy.”
Explosive Exchange on Fox News’ The Five
The political fallout was on full display Monday during a heated segment of The Five.
Greg Gutfeld, co-host of the top-rated Fox News panel show, lashed out at liberal colleague Jessica Tarlov after she attempted to frame political violence as a “both sides” problem.
“What is interesting here is, why is only this happening on the left and not the right? That’s all we need to know,” Gutfeld said, prompting Tarlov to bring up the recent killing of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and other attacks on Democrats.
Gutfeld snapped back:
“None of us were spending every single day talking about Mrs. Hortman. I never heard of her until after she died. Don’t play that bulls—t with me. There was no demonization, amplification about that woman before she died. It was a specific crime against her by somebody who knew her.”
The exchange quickly escalated, with Gutfeld raising his voice and rejecting any equivalence.
“The both sides argument not only doesn’t fly, we don’t care. We don’t care about your both sides argument. That s—t is dead,” he declared.
“Direct-to-Consumer Nihilism”
Gutfeld went further, suggesting that Robinson had been radicalized by what he called “direct-to-consumer nihilism” and a “trans cult” that rejected biological truth.
“If you sat around and you defended the mutilation of children, you’re not the good guys. If you sat 600, 700 cases of harassment against Republicans and you said, ‘But what about this? What about this?’ And then you see this murderer after calling somebody a fascist, you realize, ‘Maybe I’m not the good guy.’”
He argued that the atmosphere of unchecked rhetoric and radical ideology had created the conditions for the assassination.
“He was a patsy. He was under the hypnotic spell of a direct-to-consumer nihilism, the trans cult. If you can decide that biology is false, you can agree that murder is okay and that humanity’s expendable,” Gutfeld said.
National Response
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has already reshaped political discourse, with Republicans using it as a rallying cry against what they call dangerous left-wing extremism.
Former President Donald Trump, who had previously called for the death penalty in the case, praised Erika Kirk’s resolve to continue her husband’s work.
“Charlie gave his life fighting for America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “His voice will never be silenced, and Erika is showing incredible courage in carrying on his mission.”
Other conservative figures echoed the sentiment, framing the continuation of the tour as an act of resistance against political intimidation.
Looking Ahead
While the next court date for Robinson looms on September 29, Turning Point USA is already preparing to step back onto campuses. Utah State University will be the first test of whether students, faculty, and the wider community can balance mourning, protest, and free speech.
Erika Kirk closed her announcement with a call for resilience.
“Charlie believed in America, in its people, and in its future,” she said. “That future depends on us not giving in to fear. His tour will go on. His voice will go on. And together, we will go on.”
For supporters of the movement, that promise may be the most powerful rebuttal to political violence yet.
James Jenkins is a celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning author whose work has reshaped the way readers think about social justice and human rights in America. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, James grew up in a community that instilled in him both resilience and a strong sense of responsibility toward others. After studying political science and creative writing at Howard University, he worked as a journalist covering civil rights issues before dedicating himself fully to fiction. His novels are known for their sharp, empathetic portraits of marginalized communities and for weaving personal stories with broader political realities. Jenkins’s breakout novel, Shadows of Freedom, won national acclaim for its unflinching look at systemic inequality, while his more recent works explore themes of identity, resilience, and the fight for dignity in the face of oppression. Beyond his novels, James is an active public speaker, lecturing at universities and participating in nonprofit initiatives that support literacy and community empowerment. He believes that storytelling is a way to preserve history and inspire change. When not writing, James enjoys jazz music, mentoring young writers, and traveling with his family to explore cultures and stories around the world.
