What happened on night one of Turning Point USA’s biggest event of the year, AmericaFest, happened again on night two as the night’s closing speakers offered differing visions of MAGA and the Republican Party—That seems to be by intent.
The organization’s late founder Charlie Kirk placed political debate at the center of his persona and his organization’s identity. And the outlines of debate appeared again on night two as Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon offered contrasting perspectives on the role of internationalism in the Republican Party.
Ramaswamy, a Hindu former biotech CEO who sought the 2020 presidential nomination, offered a vision aligned with MAGA’s tech/entrepreneurial wing, a sector exemplified by Elon Musk, as he spoke of the value of pluralism, which sits in line with his support for H1-B visas, which has the support of Silicon Valley.
In contrast, Bannon—a critic of the H1-B visa program—utilized his speech to embrace the “America First” platform, denouncing “Israel First” conservatives like Jewish commentator Ben Shapiro, whom he labeled a “cancer.” Bannon followed these statements in saying conservatives must continue winning because “We have to Christianize this country.”
The first night of AmericaFest garnered an array of headlines drawing attention to what looked like a MAGA civil war, as Shapiro went after Tucker Carlson and others in the party who’ve been critical of America’s relationship with Israel, labeling them “frauds and grifters.”
It wouldn’t take a veteran political strategist to forecast that placing Bannon after Ramaswamy could replicate some of the tensions that emerged during the first night’s events. Given that, the move appears to be purposeful, and thus Turning Point seems to be positioning itself as an early arbiter for the ideological debates certain to consume the party in the lead-up to 2028.
Bannon’s comments reflected this understanding, saying: “Tucker said the quiet part out loud—this is a proxy on ‘28.”
Ramaswamy appeared to understand this as well, saying: “There’s a fork in the road for the conservative movement right now. It’s a time for choosing our future.”
As Bannon focused on Israel and America First—indirectly defending Carlson who’s taken flak for conducting an interview with far-right Holocaust skeptic Nick Fuentes—Ramaswamy denounced Fuentes by name. He centered his speech on combating what he described as the “online right” who push the idea of “Heritage Americans,” those who can trace their lineage to Colonial America, as being the “true Americans.”
These ideas are bound to be litigated, relitigated and relitigated again by the party as it heads toward 2028. However, what’s revealing about these tensions resurfacing on night two is Turing Point’s potential embrace of its event as a forum for this level of internal conflict.
While the organization has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars in wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Erika Kirk’s leadership remains untested—as the widow has taken heat from commentators within the party, like Candace Owens, for her handling of the aftermath of Charlie’s death—and it remains uncertain whether she can replicate Charlie’s organizing prowess.
However, Erika has demonstrated an ability to elevate AmericaFest as a premier conservative event worthy of major national attention. Along, with Bannon and Ramaswamy, the day featured Megyn Kelly, actor/comedian Rob Schneider and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, among others. On Sunday, Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Donald Trump Jr. are set to speak, and each day has included several Cabinet officials, internet stars and elected politicians.
I’ve covered both the Republican National Convention and New York Comic Con. I’d describe AmericaFest as something of a fusion between the two. It boasts the conservatism and political gravitas of the RNC while possessing the fandom and capitalistic nature of Comic Con.
On one hand, politicians and culture leaders walk among the crowd as one of many of their kind in attendance, while on the other, individuals are selling biblical art and wearing potentially homemade, bedazzled outfits paying tribute to President Donald Trump.
People at AmericaFest were lined up to buy ice cream, drinking beer and sharing company with those they know will not judge them. While white people compose the majority, people of all races are in attendance, as are those from an array of ages, from toddler to senior.
Attendees I spoke to, including Arizona State University senior Tyler Aronson, said they largely felt unaffected by the tensions playing out on stage and felt the experience was instead being shaped by the sense of community and opportunity to interact with famous figures.
Basil Huff, a high school senior from California, meanwhile, said he thought the comments by Shapiro were “petty” and took up time that could have been spent on other issues. Aside from that, he also said he was enjoying the community and learning from the guests.
Whether the AmericaFest crowd internalizes the issues being deliberated on stage remains to be seen. However, it’s clear the convention has emerged as a marquee forum for debate, a civic value Charlie Kirk prided himself on advancing.
Some may see this debate as evidence of the MAGA coalition ripping itself apart, and that could be the case. However, it could also be true that conservatives have found an effective forum to litigate their internal issues that could lessen the amount of time spent on such discussions as the calendar nears 2028. Either way, Turning Point appears to be positioning itself as the premier forum for discussion in the Republican Party, and that’s a win for Erika Kirk.
