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Daily Wire commentators Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles closed out the “This is the Turning Point Tour” at the University of Idaho Tuesday, drawing supporters and protesters to the ICCU Arena.
By Hayden Wysup | For FāVS News
Main Points:
By Hayden Wysup | for FāVS News
MOSCOW, Idaho – Hundreds of local residents and students lined up more than an hour early Tuesday as Turning Point USA brought its national tour to the ICCU Arena on the University of Idaho campus, with Daily Wire commentators Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles headlining.
One person in line was Julian Gossard. Gossard is a student at Whitworth University in Spokane and wanted to show support to TPUSA.
“I came to this event because I really love America, and I really want to make sure this country is heading in the right direction,” Gossard said.
Protesters gather across the street
Across the street, protesters held signs reading “Bigots off our campus,” “God hates fascists” and “Be courageous, oppose all tyranny.” University of Idaho student Chloe Belfer Sanford said she came to draw attention to UI platforming a far-right group.
“We oppose the university allowing TPUSA to be here at all because we feel that they represent a fascist movement and that they shouldn’t be allowed to speak on campus,” Belfer Sanford said. “We believe in the rights of all people including immigrants, queer people, people of color, disabled people, and we believe TPUSA is opposed to that.”
Belfer Sanford acknowledged both sides are exercising free speech but her problems is with the university hosting them.
“We don’t believe that the university tuition should go to platforming these people,” Belfer Sanford said. “We believe that people should be allowed to speak — but they are anti-pluralist, they don’t want people like us to speak or to be allowed our freedom of religion or freedom of expression.”
Inside the ICCU Arena, Walsh and Knowles took the stage before a sea of white hats, embroidered with “freedom” or “47,” and black curtains framing the crowd behind them. Within minutes, both mocked the protesters outside.
“Did you see the protest outside?” Knowles said.
“It was a little low energy. I was kind of disappointed. I want more. Put some energy into it,” Walsh said.
Knowles mocked the “half a dozen” LGBTQ+ protesters outside, making derogatory remarks about their appearance, then used them as a launching point to attack transgender rights.
He used this as a launching point into how the left has become too radicalized. The introduction portion touched on topics including political violence and transgender ideology.
During the Q&A portion both fielded questions regarding transgender representation in mass shootings, their support for Trump despite his affiliation and appearance in the Epstein Files, abortion and religion.
When an audience member pressed the speakers on Trump’s documented ties to Jeffrey Epstein, Knowles said Trump is innocent until proven guilty and that association alone does not constitute a crime.
Knowles argued that Epstein’s ties extended across the political establishment — from Ivy League faculty to leaders of both parties — and said not all associations are equal, drawing a contrast between Trump and Bill Clinton’s more extensive documented relationship with Epstein.
When an audience member challenged Walsh on a statistic he cited about transgender representation in mass shootings, Walsh did not clarify that the study surveyed only one case. He deflected, then argued that political messaging targeting transgender people fuels violence.
“When you go to that particular group of people and you tell them, ‘Hey, these people over there, they’re trying to commit a genocide against you,’ and if you want me to believe that’s some sort of coincidence, I don’t buy it,” Walsh said.
The exchange drew one of the loudest responses of the night.
Tour honors slain TPUSA founder
Tuesday’s event was the final stop on TPUSA’s “This is the Turning Point Tour,” which also visited George Washington University, the University of Georgia, Ohio State University and Baylor University this spring.
The tour was organized as a tribute to TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, who died last year after being shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. CEO Erika Kirk announced the tour to counter what the organization describes as “leftist indoctrination” on college campuses.
“Stand up for the truth, defend life, love your family fearlessly … and don’t think that it’s someone else’s role to do it,” Erika Kirk said in a statement. “You do it. Do it for Charlie.”
It was not Kirk’s first connection to the region. He visited Pullman and Moscow in 2025 as part of his “American Comeback” tour. The University of Idaho has an active TPUSA chapter.
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