A young podcaster’s attempt to help “carry the torch” for Charlie Kirk was met with division on the right, even among the Turning Point USA founder’s own inner circle.
When the 31-year-old Christian Patriot was assassinated on September 10, he had just kicked off The American Comeback Tour, continuing his ongoing mission to engage in civil discourse while living out his faith. Now, as TPUSA enlists established voices to further Kirk’s mission, podcaster Brilyn Hollyhand’s promotion of his own tour of college campuses garnered a mixed response — especially because of his “country club” image.
Before posting a video from a private jet wearing a Masters Tournament polo on his way to the University of Arkansas, Hollyhand — who first interviewed Kirk as a fourth grader — was featured in a New York Post article describing the now-19-year-old commentator as being “widely hailed as Charlie Kirk’s protege.”
While he himself had denounced such suggestions, his tour-promoting video that garnered nearly 40 million views found some questioning Hollyhand’s motivations as well as his connections.
University of Arkansas, we are on the way now to kick off my 10-stop campus tour!
We’ve already sold two different rooms so we are on the way to the biggest room possible to fit as many students as we can!
See y’all on the ground soon! pic.twitter.com/65yI6Klbcx
— Brilyn Hollyhand (@BrilynHollyhand) September 25, 2025
On the side of his detractors, journalist Nick Sortor made a point of stating that TPUSA was not sponsoring the young man’s tour before sharing a reminder about the actual tour from Kirk’s organization, adding, “This is such an unnecessary distraction from the ACTUAL campus tour, which honors Charlie. Ignore the grifters.”
Similarly, TPUSA’s COO, Tyler Bowyer, raised Hollyhand’s tenure as co-chair of the Republican National Committee’s Youth Advisory Council when Ronna McDaniel was head of the RNC and contended, “Brilyn got paid by Ronna McDaniel when she got re elected and really let us all down.”
He added in response to a callout that Hollyhand had endorsed Harmeet Dhillon for the position, “After she got re elected he went on full Ronna Defense. It wasn’t just him. Others did it too.”
FYI: Turning Point USA is absolutely NOT sponsoring campus tours for young men flying around on private planes—despite claims otherwise
This is such an unnecessary distraction from the ACTUAL campus tour, which honors Charlie
Ignore the grifters.
Here’s the real schedule pic.twitter.com/aA9iN22xkZ
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 29, 2025
Brilyn got paid by Ronna McDaniel when she got re elected and really let us all down.
— Tyler Bowyer (@tylerbowyer) September 27, 2025
Jenna, I was on the rnc. After she got re elected he went on full Ronna Defense.
It wasn’t just him. Others did it too.
— Tyler Bowyer (@tylerbowyer) September 29, 2025
In response to those who’d called out his travel on the private plane, Hollyhand expressed his gratitude to a “hometown friend” who’d arranged the transport because he himself couldn’t afford the trip, while referring to detractors online as “keyboard warriors.”
He also offered a lengthy post on Sunday to both introduce himself after the massively viral video and reiterate his position that he is in no way trying to “be Charlie.”
“I’m not Charlie. I’ll never be Charlie, and I don’t want to be Charlie. I can’t! He was 1 of 1. I’m Brilyn, and if I seem eager it’s because I am,” expressed Hollyhand. “I watched this guy I looked up to get shot. And I’m determined to make sure he didn’t die in vain and inspire my peers to carry out his legacy.”
“It’s ok to be cautious. I’m not even asking you to support me! I just wanted to share that we’re on the same side, and like Charlie always encouraged me I’m going to keep going ‘onward’ and he always like to sign texts. I hope you’re with me. If you’re not, it’s ok. But it’s certainly not gonna stop me,” he concluded as the post captioned videos of him interviewing Kirk, as well as a message of encouragement once sent by the TPUSA founder.
Happy Sunday! I wanted to sit down for a second to introduce myself and provide receipts for all of the people who are rightfully cautious in a moment like this!
It’s ok if you haven’t seen me before this week, but I’m definitely not a new comer. I started my podcast in the 4th… pic.twitter.com/pvzwWnKdcc
— Brilyn Hollyhand (@BrilynHollyhand) September 28, 2025
Taking the side in support of Hollyhand’s own efforts to spread conservative messages to campuses, Kirk’s executive producer and TPUSA’s spokesman Andrew Kolvet posted in response, “‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’ I will pray for your success, Brilyn.”
Kolvet went on to add, as opinions on the young man remained mixed, “No one person will carry the torch. Will take an army. Brilyn is doing his own thing. A few local TPUSA chapters are helping him reserve space on campus, but it’s not a tpusa tour. That said, I don’t begrudge him taking the initiative.”
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
I will pray for your success, Brilyn
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) September 29, 2025
No one person will carry the torch. Will take an army. Brilyn is doing his own thing. A few local TPUSA chapters are helping him reserve space on campus, but it’s not a tpusa tour. That said, I don’t begrudge him taking the initiative.
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) September 29, 2025
You might want to change your image kid, nothing worse than a kid that looks like he came in fresh from the country club coming off a private jet.
— Harrison Krank (@HarrisonKrank) September 26, 2025
Nobody is replacing Charlie.
Nobody is even trying to.It’s going to take an army of you to carry that mission forward. Which is why I don’t understand the bashing of @BrilynHollyhand.
Be builders. Keep advancing the ball down the field. Remember, the left is the enemy.
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) September 29, 2025
“Keyboard warriors” is a horrible way to address those who you hope to win over.
Screams of “I’m a trust fund child and you must be a troll if you cast aspersions onto me.”
How about you do the work, shut your mouth, and prove yourself worthy of being dubbed “the new Charlie.”
— Joshua Walker (@RedsRepair95) September 27, 2025
“Never complain, never explain.”
Just keep working hard on your mission.
— Fr Calvin Robinson ©️®️ (@calvinrobinson) September 29, 2025
Charlie would be pissed at how people are treating you. So glad you’re here though. Don’t give up. Charlie would be proud of how you’re handling all this. Well done
— Wretched Sinner Saved by Grace (@WalkCloserDaily) September 29, 2025
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn’t researching current events and their impacts, you’ll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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