Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders at the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock on March 11, 2026. (Photo by Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate)
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a proclamation Wednesday encouraging Arkansas high schools and colleges to establish chapters of Turning Point USA and Club America, conservative organizations founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk.
The announcement at the Governor’s Mansion featured Erika Kirk, the organization’s CEO and widow of Charlie Kirk, who was killed last year in Utah. Sanders stated the proclamation aims to protect conservative speech from suppression, citing the federal Equal Access Act. While the measure does not mandate the clubs, it warns schools against discriminating against conservative viewpoints.
The Arkansas Advocate reports that the ACLU of Arkansas raised First Amendment concerns, arguing the governor’s exclusive endorsement of specific political clubs constitutes differential treatment.
Outside the event, tensions escalated as approximately 30 protesters gathered. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, an altercation occurred around 2:45 p.m. as attendees departed. Arkansas State Police reported that two troopers were assaulted while attempting to de-escalate the situation. One trooper was injured, and three protesters were arrested. Two women face second-degree battery charges, while a man was charged with obstruction and resisting arrest.
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