Conservative Movement Grapples with Leadership Vacuum Following Charlie Kirk's Death
The conservative movement is facing a period of uncertainty following the death of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, who was fatally shot on a Utah college campus in September 2025. Kirk's death has sparked an outpouring of grief among conservatives and prompted President Donald Trump to threaten a crackdown on the radical left, according to Vox.
Kirk, who established Turning Point USA to engage college students he believed were being indoctrinated by liberal universities, left a significant void in the conservative landscape. Vox reported that some of Kirk's followers are drifting toward figures like Nick Fuentes, his onetime nemesis.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to pursue his global agenda, despite promises of focusing on "America First," Vox reported. Recent weeks have seen US action in Venezuela, threats to Greenland, Europe, and Iran, and Trump's open solicitation of a Nobel Peace Prize. His latest global push is the creation of the Board of Peace, a new body with a billion-dollar lifetime membership fee, which has been labeled as a minor bid to replace the United Nations, according to Vox.
As the political landscape shifts, some observers are noting a sense of nostalgia among younger generations for the 2010s. Spotify reported a 790 percent increase in 2016-themed playlists in January, with some declaring that the 2026 vibe would match the "feel good vibes" of 2016, Vox noted. Daysia Tolentino, journalist behind the newsletter "Yap Year," has been chronicling online affinity for the 2010s for almost a year.
In other news, the 68th Grammy Awards were broadcast on February 1st, featuring Kendrick Lamar's leading nominations, according to Time. Upcoming entertainment includes Jacob Fortune-Lloyd starring in the dystopian short film Cloud 99, and a documentary series about ice dancing will be released ahead of the Winter Olympics, Time reported.
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