Charlie Kirk, “outrageous things”, and viral politics

“You should be allowed to say outrageous things” is the quote from Charlie Kirk that titles the YouTube video where he debated a packed room of students and protestors at Oxford University back in May. It was a principle and provocation he returned to often, and one of his most consistent talking points was the need for open discussion. For a population getting increasingly sucked into short-form videos and algorithm-driven debates, he made that open discussion feel immediate and personal, and kept audiences watching.

Charlie Kirk’s name is dominating headlines today following his death after a shooting at Utah Valley University, where he was speaking as part of his ‘American Comeback Tour’. The shooting occurred during one of his signature events, where a tent labelled ‘Prove Me Wrong’ invited students to step up and debate him directly. However, for those with less screen time or consuming more traditional media, his name might not be immediately recognisable. 

Charlie Kirk’s influence wasn’t built on traditional media, but through Instagram reels, TikTok debates, and viral YouTube clips. Among millennials and Gen Z, he was a major figure. When visiting the UK in May, Kirk himself noted the “shockingly large number of people who recognised me in the street” - a perhaps biased but notable reflection of his reach beyond America.

Kirk’s rise began at 18, when he co-founded Turning Point USA, a youth-focused conservative movement. His effective use of social media platforms and endorsement from Trump then propelled him into the spotlight. His ‘Prove Me Wrong’ campus videos, usefully often clipped to show students with brightly coloured hair struggling to make their points after accusing him of fascism, were engineered for virality. His team understood the economy of online attention and anti-woke politics, and how to make these clips go viral. His podcast, ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’, became one of the most downloaded political shows in the US, and his reach had expanded to include lifestyle content.

Kirk was a close ally of the former president, often appearing at rallies and advising Trump’s sons on youth outreach. Trump credited Kirk and Turning Point with helping secure his 2024 victory, calling him “the most influential voice of my generation”.

His appeal to Gen Z was deliberate. In the US, research has suggested that social media is now the main source of news with 54% getting news from networks like Facebook, X and YouTube. In the UK, 18–24-year-olds are twice as likely to get their news from TikTok than the BBC. Kirk leaned into the format of reels and shorts, turning political debate into digestible, shareable content. His clips regularly hit millions of views, and as a result both supporters and opponents shared them not just for the politics, but for the spectacle.

The online platform for Turning Point led to global influence in his target audiences, both those supportive and so outraged they couldn’t help but watch. In recent years, Kirk continued expanding Turning Point internationally, the UK branch of Turning Point was launched in 2018, and he had recently appeared at events across Europe. His politics were rooted in traditional American conservatism, and viral clips usually focused on social issues such as abortion, gun rights, and transgender identity. While many of these issues aren’t unique to America, some have made the case it was the style that appealed as much as the substance.

Following the events in Utah, Turning Point UK has been quick to quote Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response statement (that “there can be no justification for political violence”) with a previous quote from David Lammy, now Deputy Prime Minister, describing Turning Point UK and Kirk as “sinister forces”. Across the political spectrum, politicians have responded by reinforcing the need for reasoned debate. However, while online platforms continue to reward outrage, it seems unlikely that the tone will shift any time soon — and events like this risk escalating it further.

Many people in the UK will have seen Charlie Kirk as not just a politician but part of the digital culture. He turned debate into content, and content into influence that reflected how younger generations are engaging with politics.