Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of "The Charlie Kirk Show" and one of the assassinated conservative leader's longtime friends, said Sunday that the late Turning Point USA co-founder should be remembered as a prophetic figure who confronted evil and spoke truth without hesitation.
"I believe that Charlie is a modern-day prophet," Kolvet said on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," speaking ahead of the memorial service in Glendale, Arizona. "Prophets go into a culture, into a town, into a city, and they call it to repent. And if you don't want to repent, then you're not going to like that message."
Charlie Kirk, added Kolvet, "was a guy that confronted evil head-on. He didn't pull punches. He said exactly what the truth was. And if you don't want to hear the truth, you will despise the truth, and that's why they despised Charlie."
Kolvet said critics underscored the power of his message.
"I think it's in some ways so fitting and the challenge is sort of before us all: Live a life so remarkable, so extraordinary, so true to who you are and what God has called you to that your enemies even in death would still not be willing to concede an inch and would still revile you," he said. "That's a testament to how effective Charlie is and was and will continue to be."
Kolvet described him as a "good man, a decent man, a great leader" whose vision and energy inspired those around him. He recalled that the Turning Point USA founder often pushed colleagues to dream bigger and execute faster, leading Turning Point USA to stage events in a matter of days that would normally take months.
He also noted the swelling crowds expected for Sunday's memorial. "On the one hand, it's amazing ... but on the other hand, it's just so Charlie," Kolvet said, recalling how his mantra in group chats was always "more" and "push."
Asked about speculation that the conservative leader might have pursued the presidency one day, Kolvet said he never directly raised the idea but focused instead on strengthening American families and the working class.
"He cared about the people, the muscular class, the workers, and restoring a thriving American family with good values, that went to church, that had children," Kolvet said. "That was his passion."
Turning Point USA's future, Kolvet said, is now in the hands of Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, who was unanimously elected as CEO and chair of the board. He said she is prepared for the challenge. "God has raised her up for this moment, and I'm excited to be behind her and encouraging her and supporting her," he said.
Kolvet added that Turning Point has more than 65,000 chapter requests, a number that has surged in recent days. "Nobody else could do this, nobody else would imagine this big, but it's all for Charlie," he said.
Kolvet said he plans to honor Charlie Kirk during the memorial by reflecting on his work as the host of "The Charlie Kirk Show," calling it "the drumbeat" of his life.
"He would work out his ideas on the show, and he would read every single email. I still do not know how he did it, but he would read every single email. It was truly remarkable," Kolvet said. "Erika has commanded me that the show must go on. So we're going to carry on his mission and his legacy."
Newsmax and Newsmax2 will provide special live coverage this Sunday of the "Building a Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk" memorial service from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
When to Watch:
Noon ET Charlie Kirk Memorial Service
Sunday on Newsmax – Find It Here
The memorial officially starts at 2 p.m. ET.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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