Weeks before he was gunned down at Utah Valley University, Charlie Kirk sat in a room of 200 supporters and told them exactly what he wanted to happen if he died.
Now, the video has finally been made public.
A never-before-publicly-released video clip from a private Turning Point USA donor retreat in Aspen, Colorado that was filmed right before Kirk’s assassination suddenly surfaced Friday. The release came after his widow, Erika Kirk, took the stage at the Turning Point Women’s Leadership Summit in San Antonio, Texas. The clip was played as part of her introduction montage, and immediately went viral across social media.
The Aspen retreat was held in August 2025, roughly three weeks before Kirk, 31, was murdered in cold blood while speaking to students at Utah Valley University on September 10.
A donor had asked Kirk what would happen to his conservative youth movement if something were to happen to him.
“Kind of a hard question to ask, but I think it’s probably important to everybody in this room,” the donor said. “I’m wondering about Turning Point’s succession plan should, God forbid, something happen to you.”
“I appoint my wife to run Turning Point USA if something happens to me,” Kirk said in the footage. “Erika would do a great job.”
Turning Point and @MrsErikaKirk release the secret footage of Charlie Kirk choosing her to succeed him to kick off their Annual Women's summit pic.twitter.com/RHW4jq8yBi
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 5, 2026
Multiple Turning Point board members who attended the event confirmed the footage was real to The Daily Mail, who first reported the existence of the private video last month.
However, the full, unedited film from the Aspen retreat is still being kept under lock-and-key by TPUSA. The organization said the event was held exclusively for donors and will not be released to the public. Only the edited excerpts were released.
Following Kirk’s assassination, the Turning Point USA board unanimously voted Erika into the CEO and Chair of the Board role within days, and cited Charlie’s expressed wishes.
Erika Kirk has not shied away from the spotlight since her husband’s death. In her first public statement after the assassination, she stood at the podium inside Turning Point USA’s headquarters and delivered a defiant pledge to the movement Charlie had built.
“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” she said. “It won’t. I refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name. And I will make sure of it. It will become stronger. Bolder. Louder and greater than ever.”
Prosecutors in the Kirk assassination case have released alleged messages between the suspect, identified as Robinson, and his transgender boyfriend, in which Robinson reportedly confessed to carrying out the murder.
“There is too much evil and the guy spreads too much hate,” Robinson allegedly wrote. The trial is ongoing.
Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA at 18 years old. He leaves behind Erika and their two young children.