A year after Charlie Kirk’s death, are young voters turning against Trump?

Turning point US has expanded its presence on campus even as Trump’s support among young people has fallen.

A year after the murder of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, the organization he co-founded, Turning Point USA (TPUSA), has expanded its presence in schools across the United States, even as young voters show growing dissatisfaction with the Republican Party.

As of Thursday, Turning Point has more than 3,500 high school chapters, an increase of 180 percent since Kirk’s death, according to the organization.

It also boasts more than 1,500 college chapters, an increase of more than 60 percent.

Kirk was a prominent conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump at the time of his death on September 10, 2025. He was killed while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in an incident captured on video.

His killing would inspire the Trump administration to begin a crackdown on so-called “domestic terrorist organizations,” including the loose anti-fascist movement known as Antifa.

Kirk built Turning Point USA into a major youth organizing force within the Republican Party, helping to mobilize young conservative voters.

But the growth of Turning Point’s political infrastructure comes as Republicans face growing dissatisfaction among young voters over the economy and the US-Israeli war against Iran.

Just 32 percent of men ages 18 to 29 approved of Trump’s performance in August, down from 43 percent in February 2025, according to a poll by news agency Reuters and research firm Ipsos.

This gap follows successes in the last general elections. Trump won 46 percent of the young vote in the 2024 election, up seven points from 2020, according to the Pew Research Center.

Cost of living pressures are one of the biggest concerns for young voters. A survey of youth conducted by Harvard University in March and April found that half of Americans ages 18 to 29 said inflation had affected them “a lot,” and 45 percent said they were struggling to make ends meet or had little financial security.

Those economic pressures are exacerbated by the war in Iran, which has increased household spending by an average of $750, according to economic research firm Moody’s Analytics.

Within TPUSA itself, debate has grown over US support for Israel. A recent poll by YouGov and The Economist found that only 16 percent of young people think US military action in Iran is the right decision.

Still, the group’s expanding network gives Republicans significant support in rallying younger voters ahead of the Nov. 3 congressional midterm elections.

A memorial will be hosted by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University on Thursday, a year after Kirk was fatally shot during a debate on campus. The group will also honor Kirk at the first-ever GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Texas.