Charlie Kirk became one of Donald Trump’s closest allies by taking the Maga movement to university campuses and delighting in facing down liberal activists while picking apart their world views.
More than that, the Turning Point USA founder is a key Trump world insider, close to anyone important within the inner circle and with the US president himself.
After Mr Trump won the 2024 election, he huddled at Mar-a-Lago for weeks helping build the new administration and vetting potential appointees.
It did not matter that he was only 31 and had never held elected office, Mr Kirk was there.