On Friday, April 17, US President Trump attended the “Turning Point USA” rally in Phoenix, Arizona, delivering a speech to thousands of supporters.
Trump emphasized in his speech that with the grassroots mobilization of Turning Point, he achieved an “overwhelming victory” in seven swing states in the 2024 election, garnering support from 86% of US counties and winning by a margin of 312 electoral votes to 226.
“I want to thank every member of Turning Point Action who tirelessly worked to help us mobilize voters on November 3rd this year,” Trump said to the young supporters in attendance. “If you want a prosperous and strong country, a America that you can be proud of, then you must go out and vote Republican in the midterm elections.”
The event was introduced by conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk, marking her first public appearance after missing recent events due to security threats. Erika paid tribute to her late husband who was assassinated last year, emphasizing that the movement is about protecting the country’s freedom.
She emphasized that despite America’s imperfections, it remains the greatest country in the world worth defending. Erika depicted America as a place where people can openly live out their faith and build a life of freedom, contrasting it with regions experiencing security issues, religious persecution, or societal decay, emphasizing that America must not follow the same path.
Erika recalled Charlie Kirk’s “Red Wall” strategy proposed after the 2024 election, which highlighted the importance of securing Arizona, Nevada, and New Hampshire to ensure Republican dominance.
She stated that this judgment had a significant uplifting effect on the grassroots mobilization at the time, becoming the focal point of the event: “Build the Red Wall.” The aim of the event was to mobilize young voters for the midterm elections.
In his speech, Trump also listed numerous achievements in his administration over the past year. In domestic policy, he focused on improving living conditions and tax relief. He specifically mentioned tax reform policies for the service industry and the broader workforce, noting that many young people in attendance had benefited.
Trump pledged to implement various tax-free measures such as “tax-free tips, tax-free overtime pay, and social security benefits for our great elders.”
Additionally, he mentioned that many Americans have recently received historic tax refunds, with an average of over $4,000 per taxpayer.
In the field of diplomacy, Trump claimed his government successfully ended eight wars, and with the ongoing situations in Iran and Lebanon, the total would reach ten, saving millions of lives.
He revealed that negotiations with Iran were progressing smoothly, with Iran agreeing to open the Strait of Hormuz, and the US ensuring that Iran would never possess nuclear weapons.
Regarding border security, Trump stated that the government had transformed the previously “chaotic and violent” border into the “safest border in American history,” achieving a record of zero illegal border crossings in the past 11 months.
Towards the end of his speech, Trump reiterated several administrative reforms, including signing executive orders to begin the process of abolishing the federal Department of Education and returning educational control to states and local parents.
On social issues, he reaffirmed his “America First” policy, officially defining only two genders and banning transgender surgeries on children, while also canceling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies and preferential treatment within the federal government.