Turning Point USA prepares for President Trump's visit to Phoenix
Pres. Trump to appear at TPUSA event in Phoenix
On April 16, President Donald Trump will be in Phoenix, and he is set to headline a Turning Point USA event while in town. The event also shines a spotlight on Arizona's political landscape, and FOX 10's Jacob Luthi has more.
PHOENIX - President Donald Trump is set to make his first visit to Phoenix in 2026.
What we know:
On March 31, we reported that Trump is expected to speak at the "Build The Red Wall" event, which is scheduled to take place at Dream City Church.
As of April 16, the event's website lists President Trump, along with Erika Kirk, Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, Abe Hamadeh, Paul Gosar, and Juan Ciscomani as speakers.
"I'm going to talk about optimism and unity for Republicans and the importance of this upcoming election," Rep. Andy Biggs said. "And I really want to convey, quite frankly, a positive outlook."
Just days prior, on April 14, Kirk skipped a TPUSA event in Athens, Georgia. According to Vice President JD Vance, Kirk opted out of the event due to safety concerns. Event attendees, according to our sister station WAGA, were also met by a significant group of peaceful protesters.
This is Trump's second visit to the Valley since summer 2025, when he visited the Valley for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk's memorial service.
Big picture view:
On April 16, ahead of Trump's arrival, preparations are already underway.
"It's been an awful year," said Turning Point Action Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer. "Losing Charlie [Kirk] is one of the most egregious acts I think that's ever happened politically to America."
Bowyer says the group's goal remains the same.
"There really isn't a new direction," Bowyer said. "It's the direction that we were heading in the day before Charlie was assassinated, which was, you know, building this operation, the actual building blocks for a really strong conservative movement."
With a location that holds close to 5,000 people, conservatives are calling Friday's rally a pivotal moment. Bowyer noted this will be the first time the president has spoken out since Iran happened and so many other things.
"I think the American people are really interested in hearing from him and what the vision is going to be," he said.
The other side:
President Trump's visit comes as State Senator Analise Ortiz challenged him and Arizona Congressmen Biggs and Schweikert.
"Whether they attend this rally tomorrow or not, Andy Biggs and David Schweikert's fingerprints are all over Washington's cost-hiking agenda," State Sen. Analise Ortiz said.
Biggs responded, "I get it. We want affordability. That's one of the hallmarks of one of the things I'm trying to work on. But look, you've got a governor that has vetoed the two biggest tax cuts in state history."
Political experts weigh in
The event is taking place months before the midterm election, and there are a number of races in Arizona.
"The race for the governorship, and other statewide offices in the legislature, congressional seats is full on now," said Stan Barnes with Copper Star Consulting Group.
"I think this is Donald Trump's attempt at saying the election is coming up, and Republicans want to win," said Samara Klar, a professor with the University of Arizona's School of Government and Public Policy.
By the numbers:
Data from the Arizona Secretary of State's website show that from January 2021 to January 2026, registered Democrats in Arizona dropped from 1.38 million to 1.22 million, a decline of about 11%. Meanwhile, the ranks of registered Republicans rose to 1.55 million, an increase of over 3%.
"Turning Point is a formidable force and based in Arizona," said Barnes. "I'm sure they're going to be a very big factor in the 2026 election."
The biggest gain came from independents and other parties, which climbed from 1.36 million to 1.48 million, an increase of about 9%.
"Independents are the fastest growing group in Arizona," said Klar. "For many voters, they may prefer the Republicans, or they may prefer the Democrats, but they don't identify with a lot of the combative nature that they see when they're looking at partisans in the media."
Because of this, Arizona is considered by many to be a purple state, with close statewide races and both major parties winning key offices.
Looking Ahead:
As Trump makes his case to Arizona voters, one question remains: will it matter?
"In the Republican-only primary, it's the golden ticket," said Barnes.
"It seems Arizonans may support Donald Trump, although not consistently, but they do not seem to be particularly persuaded by his endorsements. In fact, when Trump endorses candidates in Arizona, they often lose," Klar said.
What's next:
Hundreds of protesters are expected to rally outside the event, in what could be a preview of November.
"It's going to energize voters in Arizona, and I think what we're going to see is now a lot of campaigning in a swing state that didn't used to see that much action," said Klar.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered by FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz and Jacob Luthi, as well as from the event's website.