On Sunday, December 21, Vice President Pence spoke at the “AmericaFest” annual event hosted by Turning Point USA in Phoenix, promising to combat left-wing violence while commemorating the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
This marked the first “Turning Point USA” summit held after Kirk’s assassination. Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was tragically killed on September 10 during a campus event at Utah Valley University at the age of 31. His widow, Erika Kirk, vowed to carry on her husband’s legacy and assume leadership of Turning Point USA.
During his speech on Sunday, Pence urged supporters to uphold Kirk’s legacy and condemned left-wing political violence. He also praised Erika’s strength and expressed gratitude for her support of the current administration and his personal endeavors. Just a few days ago, Erika announced her endorsement of Pence for the 2028 presidential race.
Pence emphasized that honoring Kirk means continuing the movement he established, rather than engaging in divisive behavior.
“I believe the best way to honor Charlie is for each and every one of us here not to do the things after he passed that he refused to do while he was alive. He invited all of us here. There’s a reason Charlie invited all of us. Because he believed in each and every one of you, he believed in every one of us having something worth saying, he believed in you making your own judgments. We have more important work to do than to fight among ourselves. We must build together. And President Donald Trump is a builder,” he stated.
The Vice President vowed to crackdown on left-wing violence, stating, “In honor of Charlie and in recognition of all of you, we are working to put an end to the left-wing violence that is plaguing America. We will dismantle the criminal networks of the far left and also track down and prosecute the shadowy figures funding these networks.” Pence reiterated the commitment to hold not just Antifa members who hurl bricks at ICE agents accountable, but also those who finance such actions.
Furthermore, Pence addressed issues of identity and patriotism, stating that in America, one does not need to apologize for being white or fear persecution based on gender identity. He encouraged individuals to strive to be great American patriots.
“There is still much work to be done. For those who say ‘we need to do more, we need to do it faster’ – believe me, I hear you. In our ‘America First’ movement that we are collectively building, each of you will have a brilliant future ahead, but we need your help to achieve this goal,” said the Vice President.
Pence also highlighted achievements of the current administration, citing that over 2.5 million illegal immigrants have left the country, marking the first negative growth in immigration numbers in over 50 years. He further noted increased real wages, inflation rates half that of the Democratic administration’s tenure, and historically low gasoline prices.