Merve Berker
22 December 2025•Update: 22 December 2025
ANKARA
US Vice President JD Vance addressed conservative activists at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest convention, using his closing speech to honor the organization’s late founder Charlie Kirk and rally supporters around Christianity and the “America First” movement, media reports said on Sunday.
The annual convention marked its first gathering without Kirk, who was killed in September, and brought together prominent conservative figures for several days of speeches and events, according to ABC News.
During his remarks, Vance thanked Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk and current chief executive of Turning Point USA, for her support of the administration.
“I cannot thank you enough for your strength, your grace and your kind words of support for this administration and for me personally,” ABC quoted Vance as saying.
Earlier in the week, Erika Kirk publicly endorsed Vance for a potential 2028 presidential bid, although Vance did not directly address the endorsement during his speech.
Vance repeatedly invoked Charlie Kirk’s legacy, urging attendees to continue his political mission.
“If you miss Charlie Kirk, do you promise to fight what he died for?” he asked the crowd, adding: “Do you promise to help defeat the radicals who cheered his death?”
He also signaled support for tougher law enforcement measures, saying he and US President Donald Trump favor changes that would allow “swifter justice.”
“Donald Trump and I have a list of better judges and prosecutors to enact swifter justice,” Vance said, while criticizing existing Senate procedures.
The vice president sharply criticized Democratic leaders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Representative Ilhan Omar, accusing them of undermining US security and prosperity.
In his closing remarks, Vance promised “closed borders and safe communities” and framed the conservative movement as part of a broader moral mission.
“Only God can promise you salvation in heaven, but together, we can fulfill the promise of the greatest nation in the history of the Earth,” he said.
Other speakers at the event included House Speaker Mike Johnson, White House border czar Tom Homan and Donald Trump Jr., while President Trump delivered brief remarks by phone.
