Turning Point USA (TPUSA) is a right-wing political organization founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk when he was 18 years old. Its mission is to identify, educate, train, and organize students in high schools and colleges across the United States to promote conservative principles such as freedom, free markets, limited government, and traditional values. TPUSA has a significant presence on over 3,000 campuses and is known for mobilizing young conservative activists, registering students to vote, and hosting conferences, summits, and events with conservative speakers. The organization also runs various spin-off groups and efforts, including:
- Turning Point Action, which focuses on grassroots political engagement and helping elect conservative candidates.
- Turning Point Faith, which advocates religious conservative values.
- Turning Point Endowment, which manages charitable activities.
- It produces podcasts focused on conservative political discussions and culture.
TPUSA is recognized for its role in mobilizing young voters, especially for Donald Trump in recent elections, and for promoting right-wing views on topics such as economics, race, immigration, and culture. It actively supports the NRA and fossil fuel use while opposing movements like Black Lives Matter. A notable activity includes maintaining the "Professor Watchlist," targeting professors they believe promote leftist propaganda in academia. The group's founder, Charlie Kirk, was a pivotal figure and was fatally shot during a TPUSA campus event in Utah in September 2025, which has brought heightened attention to the organization. In essence, Turning Point USA works to influence the political and cultural attitudes of young Americans in a conservative direction through education, activism, and media presence.