Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk drew a crowd of hundreds — and some counter-demonstrators — during an event Tuesday at Illinois State University.
Kirk is founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, which promotes the conservative movement among high school and college students. ISU has its own Turning Point chapter.
Kirk is touring college campuses around the U.S. as part of what he calls his American Comeback tour. He was scheduled to visit both ISU and the University of Illinois on Tuesday before heading to Purdue University for an appearance on Thursday.
Kirk has evolved from youth organizer and media personality into the head of a wider nonprofit empire with annual revenue of about $100 million, NPR reportedly previously. Along the way, Kirk has platformed conspiracy theorists and helped spread falsehoods about the 2020 elections, vaccines, transgender people and demographic change.
In recent years, Kirk has turned much of his attention toward activating the religious right politically.
