Several members of Clemson University’s Turning Point USA volunteered at an event run by Charlie Kirk, the host of The Charlie Kirk Show and President of Turning Point USA at the University of South Carolina on April 7.
Turning Point USA is a company that is “dedicated to identifying, organizing, and empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government,” according to its website.
The Tiger spoke with two students who attended the rally: Alexandra Hotinski, a freshman criminal justice major, and Thalia Kaplan, a junior criminal justice major. Both students were volunteers and, as a result, had the opportunity to meet Charlie Kirk.
“The event with Charlie Kirk was an unforgettable day. The crowd as a whole had such great energy and wanted to find ways to get involved, which was amazing! Charlie set aside time for the volunteers to do a meet and greet with him, and it went fantastic,” Kaplan said in an interview with The Tiger.
“Overall everyone was super respectful and there was only one instance where someone asking questions got a little rowdy, but by the end of the conversation it was resolved,” Hotinski told The Tiger in an email.
“Despite the pouring rain, over 1,000 students sat out until the very end of the event,” Hotinski continued. “So many people were chanting his name and the crowd started forming almost two hours before the event started. Getting to meet Charlie and be personally thanked for being at the event made it even more memorable.”
At the University of South Carolina, Kirk discussed issues such as immigration, abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and President Donald Trump’s recently implemented tariffs. Students from schools such as the University of South Carolina, Midlands Technical College and Clemson University attended the event.
Kirk threw out hats that read “47” and “Make America Great Again,” referring to President Trump’s political slogan and position as 47th president of the United States.
There was a camera filming the event in Columbia, according to Carolina News and Reporter. Kirk’s videos are previously known for going viral on social media.
Kirk has 6.5 million followers on TikTok and 5.5 million followers on Instagram. Turning Point USA has over 290,000 followers on TikTok and just under 3 million followers on Instagram.
His stop in Columbia was part of his American Comeback Tour, where he visits college campuses to debate controversial topics with students.
As of right now, this is the only stop for the American Comeback Tour in South Carolina.
