(NewsNation) — Speakers at Turning Point USA’s annual event attempted to focus on a broader message of unity within the Republican Party, even as infighting marred a push to rally support ahead of future elections.
The last day of AmericaFest featured speakers Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who, during his remarks on Sunday, said Congress would work on getting a statue of late TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk in the U.S. Capitol building.
During the four-day event, high-profile GOP infighting made its way onstage, despite speakers emphasizing the need to focus on the party’s message for the 2026 and 2028 elections.
On Thursday, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro clashed with Tucker Carlson over his hosting of controversial guests on his show, including white nationalist Nick Fuentes and influencer Andrew Tate.
Shapiro also called conservative commentators Carlson, Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly and Steve Bannon “frauds and grifters.”
“The conservative movement is in serious danger,” Shapiro said, pointing not to the left but to “charlatans who claim to speak in the name of principle but actually traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty.”
Ben Shapiro speaks during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 on Dec. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) 
Tucker Carlson speaks during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025, Dec. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) 
Supporters clap during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025, Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) 
Erika Kirk, left, and Nicki Minaj speak during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025, Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) 
Erika Kirk greets Vice President JD Vance during Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025, Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) 
Vice President JD Vance speaks on the final day of Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest conference at the Phoenix Convention Center on Dec. 21, 2025, in Phoenix. (Photo by Caylo Seals/Getty Images)
Other notable points of contention at the event included Israel and antisemitism. While the Republican Party has long supported Israel, some speakers asked whether supporting Israel in its Gaza operations conflicts with President Donald Trump’s “America First” platform.
The event also hosted celebrities, including rapper Nicki Minaj and comedian Russel Brand, who steered clear of the discord during their remarks.
Andrew Kolvet, a TPUSA spokesperson and friend of Kirk’s, said he believes the infighting is necessary to determine the party’s core message.
“I think this is part of coalitional politics, I’d rather have these disputes, whether it’s about foreign policy or whether it’s about who killed Charlie, I’d rather get this out of the way right now than in August or September of 2026,” Kolvet said.
Some young conservatives disagree with Kolvet’s statement and have said they don’t think the infighting is necessary or beneficial to the Republican Party.
There is more of a consensus, however, on who they want to see lead the party in 2028: Erika Kirk has endorsed Vance as a potential 2028 candidate.
She also acknowledged the infighting, describing the event as a “Thanksgiving dinner where your family’s hashing out the family business.”