UNIVERSITY, Miss. — Vice President JD Vance recalled here Wednesday an angry phone call from conservative activist Charlie Kirk in the months before his death — an example, Vance said, of his late friend’s commitment to firm but polite debate.
Kirk, Vance said, was worried whether President Donald Trump’s posture in the Middle East would lead to a long and protracted military conflict involving U.S. troops.
Vance, speaking to supporters of Kirk’s Turning Point USA organization at the University of Mississippi, called it a “great moment for our country” and for his friendship with Kirk, “because friendship is not just about telling everybody what they want to hear.”
“It’s about having the trust in another human being that you can tell them they’re wrong and actually encourage them to change their mind or, in that case, not necessarily even tell us that we were wrong but make sure that we were thinking about all the options,” Vance added.
Kirk, 31, was killed during an appearance last month at Utah Valley University. Kirk, a conservative activist who was a close ally of Vance and Trump, was known for taking his message to college campuses, energizing others on the right and relishing debate with those on the left.
Vance, 41, is known for enjoying combative repartee with his critics on social media. Taking a page from Kirk, he also took questions from the audience Wednesday night — several of them from students who grilled him about issues ranging from religion to immigration.
“I make no apologies for believing that Christianity is a pathway to God,” Vance said in response to a student who was concerned about prayer in public schools. “I make no apologies for thinking that Christian values are an important foundation of this country, but I’m not going to force you to believe in anything, because that’s not what God wants, and that’s not what I want.”
Vance sparred a bit with a young woman who peppered him with questions about his interfaith marriage — second lady Usha Vance is Hindu — and his desire to limit legal immigration.
“I’m going to finish answering the question, and then, you know, if I’ve answered all nine of your questions in less than 15 minutes …,” he said sarcastically, to laughter, during the exchange.
“What is the exact number of immigrants America should accept in the future?” Vance asked as he concluded his answer to her. “Right now, the answer is far less than we’ve been accepting. We’ve got to become a common community again, and you can’t do that when you have such high numbers of immigration.”
His last question came from a young woman who asked about Trump’s push to defeat Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has opposed key parts of Trump’s agenda, in a GOP primary next year. Vance began his answer on a personal note, recalling that he had become friendly with Massie before entering politics.
“Being independent, having your own opinions, is one thing,” Vance said. “It’s not one issue; it’s not three or four issues. It’s that every time that we’ve needed Thomas for a vote, he has been completely unwilling to provide it. That is why the president of the United States has trained his ire on Thomas Massie. It’s because we can never count on him for some of the most difficult votes.”
The event, with Vance as headliner, reinforced Turning Point USA’s influential role in Republican politics — and Vance’s position as its most prominent champion. The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss, which seats 9,500 for basketball games, was filled to capacity, with several hundred more seats set up on the arena floor.
Attendees, many of them in Make America Great Again or Trump 47 caps, lined up hours early in a cold and pelting rain.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, spoke before Vance. She thanked young followers of her late husband while characterizing them as pivotal to ensuring that his Christian conservative values continue to shape national politics.
“You guys have no idea how helpful it is to have all of you in my life, because you helped me feel even more deeply connected to my husband, and I thank you for that,” she said. “You guys are the heartbeat of Turning Point USA. You’re the heartbeat of this organization.”
She added, later in her remarks: “Each one of you in this room, everyone watching, when you earn your voice and you stand up for what is right, that is a part of your legacy, your family’s legacy, just as much as it is part of Charlie’s legacy. Don’t forget that. Don’t ever forget that, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, especially being with Charlie for the past seven years, it’s that the hope we’re looking for is not found in Washington. It’s not found in media. It’s right here, all of you.”
Vance in many ways is a manifestation of Kirk’s movement’s making it to the highest levels of the federal government. He has noted how central Kirk was to his rise in politics, beginning with a Republican Senate primary in Ohio three years ago that few thought Vance could win.
Vance has led the White House response to Kirk’s assassination, having endorsed the public shaming and firings of those who cheered his death in social media posts. Vance also has been vocal about the administration’s interest in taking action against left-wing groups that he, Trump and their allies have accused of fomenting political violence.
Vance’s continued boosterism of Turning Point USA can be mutually beneficial. Young male voters helped return Trump to office last year and could similarly play an important role in an expected Vance campaign for president in 2028. Trump has said repeatedly that he sees Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential heirs to his MAGA movement. This week, he again suggested that the two would make a strong national ticket.
“I’m not sure if anybody would run against those two,” Trump told reporters Monday on Air Force One. “I think if they ever formed a group [they] would be unstoppable. I really do.”
The crowd here Wednesday signaled a preference for whom they want on top of that ticket, chanting “48! 48!” — Vance would be the 48th president if he succeeds Trump — as he wrapped his remarks.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he replied.
