Charlie Kirk’s Legacy Lives on at UWYO
Ever since the tragic death of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, the University of Wyoming’s chapter has remained steadfast and unwavering in its mission: “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government”.
One of its most recent meetings that took place Thursday, Nov 6., started with a prayer thanking God for all of His blessings, and asking for revival and reform within the United States.
The meeting consisted of debate on topics such as recent political events and elections, tariffs and their impact on American industries and regional conflicts.
Chapter president Gabe Saint commenced the discussion with the emotionality of the most recent election week, recalling the 2020 election and the influence that Kirk had over it.
“I remember watching the Charlie Kirk show live, and then Fox News finally announced [that Trump had won the election]. It was just crazy.” Saint said to fellow TPUSA members.
The group then went on to discuss the mayoral election in New York City, its newly elected mayor Zohran Mamdani, and why they believe that he won the race.
One member, who wished to remain anonymous, shared his interaction with someone who supported Mamdani, stating “I was talking with someone the other day, and they were saying that if they lived in New York, they would have voted for him because anything is better than our current establishment, no matter how bad the ideas are that may accompany him.”
“Everyone is so fed up,” another speaker added, “because infrastructure is starting to collapse because they’re not getting enough bailouts from the state, and they’re expected to manage things on their own. And so the population of the city felt like they needed something.”
A recurring topic within the university’s TPUSA chapter is the idea of “America First” — how people interpret it and how it plays out in the country today. Members discussed what the phrase means in the current political climate, touching on themes such as prioritizing American citizens in the economy and shaping foreign policy through that lens.
“If we’re going to do things abroad and not in our country, it must be solely for the interest of the American people and our Imperial Republic.” Saint said.
Another speaker paraphrased a quote she once heard that summarized her opinion on how America is sending too much money overseas, and not prioritizing its citizens, “It would be one thing if we were in debt, and our cities were great, and our roads were great, and our schools were great, and our land was great, but they’re not.”
She continued on to say, “We’re in debt because we spend so much money on other countries, so much money on things that don’t involve us.”
Further into the meeting, the group discussed the impact that tariffs have had on American industries, one member claiming, “tariffs are a great idea on paper, but then there is a presumption behind that magically manufacturing is going to come to [America] and it will be cheaper. And that is not the case.”
They then went on to speak about the differences within the tariffs imposed in the first Trump administration and the current, noting that originally the tariffs were industry specific with a phased plan. This time however, tariffs are applied like “a flat rate across everybody”. Saint claimed.
“I don’t see how if it’s not strategic and industry specific how it helps us.” He said. “We should be targeting certain industries to bring them back to America.”
Even after the loss of its founder, the University of Wyoming’s TPUSA chapter continues to uphold the mission Charlie Kirk established. Through open discussion and debate on issues ranging from foreign policy to the economy, members aim to carry forward his vision of promoting freedom, limited government, and an “America First” mindset.
Though the movement has evolved since its early days, the chapter remains committed to the same principles that first brought its members together: faith in their country and the belief that their voices can shape its future.
