Protesters fill the streets outside of Trump’s Phoenix appearance for TPUSA rally

Hundreds of protesters made their voices heard on Friday morning in response to Turning Point Action’s “Build the Red Wall” event, which featured President Donald Trump and Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) CEO Erika Kirk. 

The Turning Point event — hosted by TPUSA’s political advocacy arm — focused on garnering support for the upcoming midterm elections in November. U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who also spoke at the rally, expects to go head to head with Gov. Katie Hobbs for the state’s gubernatorial seat.

Churchgoers and protesters alike filled the area in and around Dream City Church, located in north Phoenix off of Cave Creek Road, as early as 8 a.m.

The demonstration against Trump and other speakers was a result of numerous local organizations coming together, including 50501 Arizona, East Valley Unite, VetsForward and Indivisible Mesa.

Chelsea Gods, an activist, content creator and speaker at the protest, said that the demonstration was far from a celebration of violence.

“We are here to spread humanity, joy, [and] kindness back into American society…we deserve more, we deserve better,” Gods said.

Elizabeth Lee, a nurse and candidate running to represent Arizona’s 5th Congressional District — which covers Gilbert, Queen Creek, South Chandler and East Mesa — was present at the protest.

“I think that what 2024, 2025, and 2026 has shown us is the power of people and what happens when we actually come together against something,” Lee said in an interview with CALÓ News.

Protestors chanted “shame”, “pedo[phile] protector” and “no kings” as cars waited at the entrance to be searched by the Secret Service. After the rally began, demonstrators moved to the corners of Cave Creek Rd. and Sharon Dr., anticipating the arrival of Trump’s motorcade, where they continued to chant and protest as the presidential vehicle made its way onto the church grounds.

Numerous drivers rolled down their windows to respond to demonstrators, but no physical altercations occurred.

Kirk, Trump call on voters to ‘build the red wall’

Kirk spoke at the rally just before Trump’s entrance, encouraging the audience to vote in the midterms to support the event’s titular “red wall.” The term is being used to refer to swing or purple states like Arizona, Nevada and New Hampshire, which are seen as key battlegrounds for the midterms.

Additionally, she addressed the demonstration occurring on the streets. “I don’t want this country to look like the protesters outside who are celebrating the murder of my husband,” Kirk said. 

Connections between TPUSA and the Trump administration go back as far as 2019, when then-CEO Charlie Kirk led a campaign for the president as part of the Students for Trump movement. In 2020, Kirk was a keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention, where he called Trump the “bodyguard of western civilization.” Trump has since appeared at numerous TPUSA events in Phoenix, including conferences and Students for Trump rallies.

Following Kirk’s speech, Trump took the stage, speaking about the war in Iran, immigration policy, transgender rights and the midterm elections.

“This November, we gotta win the midterms. We’re going to win, and we’re going to win like never before,” Trump said.

His arrival in Phoenix came at a time when his approval rating as president is at a new low, according to an April 19 NBC News Decision Desk poll. At least 63% of adults said they disapprove of the president, citing the economy and the war on Iran as major factors.

Protesters remain undeterred

While protesters expressed disappointment and anger with the administration’s recent actions, there were also moments of joy spread throughout. 

People with microphones and speakers played upbeat music and repeatedly thanked the demonstrators for showing up and speaking out. The People’s Band Phoenix, a volunteer brass band that performs at protests across the Valley, played songs such as “When the Saints Go Marching In” across multiple hours as protesters danced nearby.

Even as the protesters anticipated Trump’s motorcade, many of the remarks made by various speakers were joking in nature, pulling laughs from the crowd and encouraging others to quip back. Many of the signs held by demonstrators reflected a similar sentiment. Inflatable costumes similar to those popularized by immigration protests in Portland could also be seen in the Phoenix crowd.

Volunteer medical and security teams regularly monitored for heat-related issues, distributed water and electrolytes to demonstrators, and stepped in to help deescalate any altercations, all of which improved the overall safety of the event. 

Pressure surrounding the midterm elections was reflected both inside and outside of the TPUSA rally, including by progressive candidates like Lee.

“This is the most important, most consequential vote of your lifetime,” Lee said. “It's not enough to vote [for] the other party. I think you really need to find people that are running for something… for one job to be enough to have a house and food and healthcare.”

When the event ended, audience members passed by protesters with signs and megaphones, leading to numerous verbal altercations. On multiple occasions, detectives from the Phoenix Police Department stepped in to escort agitators away from the crowd, but they made no arrests and did not issue charges.

According to organizers, the wide turnout and overall positive results of the protest are encouraging signs for future demonstrations.

“Every time you step out, the next person feels brave enough to step out…the vast diversity of the people here [is] proof of that,” Lee said.

River Graziano is a freelance journalist for CALÓ News. They grew up in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix and later attended ASU in Tempe, where they spent two years as an editor at The State Press. Their reporting with CALÓ News covers advocacy efforts impacting Latine communities across the Valley.