Building on recent agreements in Tennessee, Turning Point USA executive Josh Thifault is working with officials in Florida and Texas to expand Club America high school chapters nationwide toward a long-term goal of 20,000 chapters, according to a recent Daily Wire report.
Following the September 10 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, the organization has intensified efforts to grow its Club America presence in high schools across the United States, according to an in‑depth report by The Daily Wire.
The article states that at a leadership meeting in Aspen, Colorado, in August, Kirk pressed his team to expand from about 1,200 Club America chapters to 20,000 nationwide, emphasizing that high school is the most important stage for outreach before students reach college.
Since Kirk’s death, Club America chapters have increased from roughly 1,200 to about 3,000, driven by what Turning Point USA executive Josh Thifault describes as a surge of interest. Thifault told The Daily Wire that the organization received approximately 135,000 inquiries from people wanting to start or join chapters in the weeks following Kirk’s killing, and he framed the momentum as an opportunity to realize Kirk’s "almost impossible" goal.
Thifault has been working directly with state leaders to formalize support for the program. According to The Daily Wire, he has secured partnerships with Florida, Tennessee and Texas to facilitate the creation of Club America chapters in high schools across those states.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis invited about 150 Turning Point USA students to the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee after announcing the state’s partnership, the report says. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott held a press conference in Austin where Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced a $1 million donation to support Club America and broader Turning Point USA expansion in the state, according to the same account. In Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn and women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines appeared at a State Capitol event encouraging students to stand up for their values.
The Daily Wire reports that these state‑level alliances are intended in part to ensure that Club America chapters can be formed even where school administrators may be reluctant, with organizers arguing that such partnerships help safeguard students’ First Amendment rights.
Thifault told the outlet he believes the initiative is reshaping the organization’s focus, saying Turning Point USA is evolving beyond a purely political brand to emphasize faith, family and broader social values. He has called on other conservative governors to pursue similar agreements, arguing that expanding Club America chapters in high schools is central to honoring Kirk’s legacy and shaping the next generation.
The report also notes that Turning Point USA’s flagship America Fest convention reached roughly 30,000 attendees and sold out its massive venue, and that the group has grown significantly from an end‑of‑year conference of about 100 students in 2015 to a far larger national footprint. Thifault credits much of the current expansion to the leadership of Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who, according to The Daily Wire, stepped into the top role at the organization after her husband’s death and moved quickly to strengthen its infrastructure and sustain his vision.
In interviews with The Daily Wire, Thifault portrayed the current growth drive as both a political and spiritual project, saying that Turning Point USA aims to build a movement rooted in faith, freedom and patriotism for high school students across the country.
