Andrew Kolvet, the executive producer for The Charlie Kirk Show, expressed to – News that the current internal debates among conservatives were bound to happen.
“Many have observed that Charlie was, in a way, preventing these disputes, maintaining a sense of unity within the coalition. I largely agree with that sentiment,” Kolvet remarked when questioned about the recent conflicts within conservative circles.
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“However, having had private discussions with Charlie, it was clear these issues were on the horizon for some time,” Kolvet shared in an interview with – News during the recent AmericaFest 2025 event hosted by Turning Point USA.
“While Charlie’s untimely passing may have hastened some of these discussions, I believe they were always going to happen,” the Turning Point USA representative reflected.
Kolvet highlighted topics such as “the debate over Israel, broader foreign policy issues, the circumstances under which the U.S. military is deployed, and immigration,” noting, “These are necessary conversations, and in some respects, it’s good that we’re addressing them now.”
Kolvet cited, “The conversation about Israel, the conversation about foreign policy in general, how and when we use the United States military, immigration,” saying, “These were things that were going to happen. And, in some ways, I’m glad we’re having them.”
“Because if you were inside of this, you could see these fissures and these dividing lines coming a mile away,” he added.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Kolvet said that lawmakers should stop acting like online influencers.
“Stop trying to be influencers. Stop trying to be social media provocateurs,” Kolvet advised lawmakers. “Do what you need to do, what we elected you to do.”
“And I think we need to, as a movement, put them back in their proper boxes now,” he added.
Notably, tens of thousands of AmericaFest attendees were essentially held as a captive audience to several prominent conservative figures airing their dirty laundry about one another onstage in Phoenix, Arizona.
The public display of the conservative movement’s infighting began on the first day of the event, when Ben Shapiro took to the stage to call out “some” of the speakers featured at AmericaFest, declaring them “guilty of cowardice” for refusing “to condemn Candace’s truly vicious attacks” against Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA.
A few hours after Shapiro left the stage, Tucker Carlson appeared before AmericaFest attendees and told his audience that he “laughed that kind of bitter, sardonic laugh” upon hearing “the first part of the program.”
Candace Owens — who was not present at AmericaFest, but responded to Shapiro remotely on her podcast — declared, “Fuck you and the midget horse that you rode in on.”
The following day, Steve Bannon addressed event attendees, telling his audience that Shapiro “is like a cancer” who “tried to take over” – News and David Horowitz, before predicting that, at some point, he will “make a move” on Turning Point USA as well, “because he’s always been envious of Charlie Kirk.”
Megyn Kelly also had something to say on the matter after Bannon left the stage, telling the AmericaFest audience that she helped make Shapiro “a star,” but now he has been “losing subscribers, a lot,” adding, “I don’t think we are friends anymore.”
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for – News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
