Turning Point USA entered 2026 on a high note with a major announcement: its national headquarters has officially been renamed the “Buckman Campus” in honor of a historic $10 million donation from longtime supporters Nelda and Karl Buckman. The announcement was made during a dedication ceremony in Arizona on the eve of TPUSA’s 2025 America Fest.
The gift, the largest in the organization’s history, was pledged last summer before the assassination of founder Charlie Kirk. According to Nelda Buckman, Kirk had promised to name the campus after the Buckmans in recognition of their generosity. “We were able to give it in June, so he knew,” she said. “It’s a joy to be able to do it, really and truly.”
Nelda spoke about her longstanding relationship with Charlie, recalling personal text messages he would send with Bible verses, something she initially believed was the work of an intern. “Then I found out, no, that was Charlie,” she said.
Now, Nelda is spending more time with Erika Kirk, who has taken the reins of the movement while raising her children as a single mother. The two women have connected deeply over issues of womanhood, motherhood, and the cultural direction of young women in America. “Erika and I talked about womanhood and what our culture has been teaching our young women and what we want to teach our young women,” Nelda said.
Ahead of the dedication, the two met privately in Florida, where they spoke candidly about the personal and professional challenges Erika now faces. “She shared where she’s putting her boundaries,” Nelda noted. At the ceremony, held December 17, the women embraced onstage. Nelda said she could see that Erika had changed—but not in spirit. “The most beautiful thing to me was seeing her soft eyes again.”
Since Charlie’s death, Erika Kirk has promised exponential growth for the organization. “We’re gonna stay on the path that Charlie had us going on, but we will elevate,” she said at a recent investors meeting in Palm Beach. With AmFest 2025 setting new records and the college tour continuing strong, that promise appears to be coming to life.
The Buckmans placed no strings on their $10 million gift. “We didn’t put any strings attached to it. It’s a gift,” Nelda said. The only hope they expressed was for TPUSA to remain rooted in faith and continue impacting the next generation with strength and conviction.
With the newly named Buckman Campus serving as a base for expansion, Turning Point USA begins 2026 honoring Charlie Kirk’s legacy and doubling down on its commitment to faith, freedom, and the future of American youth.
The post Turning Point USA Begins New Year With Renamed Headquarters Following $10 Million Gift appeared first on Real News Now.
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