Students for Trump

Charlie Kirk, the group's chairman since July 2019

Students for Trump was founded in 2015 by Ryan Fournier and John Lambert, students at Campbell University in North Carolina, United States, who started tweeting positive information about Donald Trump.[5] The Houston Chronicle reported that George Lombardi,[6] a New York City real estate developer and friend of Donald Trump acted as an advisor. On August 6, 2015, Fournier and Lambert were impressed by then high schooler Alexander Chalgren, who appeared as a questioner on the first Fox News Republican primary debate.[7] Alexander asked a question of the candidates concerning ISIL, which was cited as the "most important" question of the evening. The question sparred an intense debate between then Mr. Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz. Students for Trump founders reached out to Mr. Chalgren via Instagram inquiring as to his political affiliation, and found him to be an early supporter of Donald Trump. After a brief interview and screening process, Chalgren was offered an integral early position within the organization as South Carolina Director, but eventually rose to the post of National Director. Mr. Chalgren is South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster's adopted cousin.[8] Alexander made his second debut onto the national scene in his This American Life interview with Zoe Chace in 2016.[9] According to the New York Times, Chalgren was the most famous young Trump supporter in America.[10]

Fournier's first television appearance for the organization was on TBS.[11] Students for Trump activities were highlighted in a BBC documentary, "Trump's Unlikely Superfans,"[12] and an NBC News exclusive titled "Students for Trump: Meet the Millennials Who Want Him to Win."[13] In 2016, the organization switched from a traditional campaign model with Regional, State, and Chapter coordinators, to a model with Campus Ambassadors that perform roles similar to that of a campaign field intern. In August 2016, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that the organization "had nearly 300 campus chapters and a bevy of social-media followers — 29,000 on Twitter, 59,000 on Instagram, thousands more on Facebook."[14]

The campaign however, had numerous problems before and after the election. In April 2016, a Students for Trump Florida chapter placed a "Make America Great Again" ball cap on a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. just days after the anniversary of his death, prompting widespread outrage.[15] The same month, John Lambert was arrested in Tennessee on federal charges of wire fraud,[16][17] posing online as a high-powered New York lawyer."[18] Lambert invented a law firm Pope and Dunn online, listing the fake Eric Pope as a lawyer who attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania as an undergraduate and New York University's law school. According to court documents, Lambert bilked tens of thousands of dollars "from unwitting clients seeking legal services."[16] Lambert has not been involved with Students for Trump since leaving in early 2016,[19] and faces prison time and the forfeiture of over $46,000 after pleading guilty in federal court.[20][21]

James Allsup on air

Salon magazine reported that Ryan Fournier worked with white nationalists when he was head of Students for Trump.[22] Media Matters said that Fournier hired white nationalist James Allsup as director of the Campus Ambassador Program. Allsup was a member of the American Identity Movement and marched at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.[23][24]

By March 2017, The College Fix reported that the organization's chapters had "largely disbanded or halted meetings."[25] In February 2018, The Daily Beast reported that Students for Trump had never correctly complied with making reports to the Federal Election Commission as a political action committee.[26] However, founder Ryan Fournier was invited to the White House in July 2019 to discuss liberal bias in social media.[27]

By February 2018, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) had written nine letters to Students for Trump requesting information about donors, but the organization declined to respond. However, the FEC has taken no action other than to warn the political action committee.[28]

On July 2, 2019 Charlie Kirk reported that Turning Point Action, a newly formed 501(c)(4) organization had acquired Students for Trump along with "all associated media assets."[29] Kirk is the founder and CEO of Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action, and the creator of the Professor Watchlist. Turning Point Action is a political action committee created in May 2019 to target Democrats, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.[30] Right Wing Watch has alleged that Turning Point USA used staff and resources for political action against Omar that would be considered a violation of US tax codes;[31] this was not the first time that Turning Point USA, a 501(c)(3) organization, was accused of tax code violations.[32] TPUSA has also been accused of using illegal means to influence student body elections.[33][34][35]

On June 23, 2020, Students for Trump were scheduled to hold their Arizona Convention at the Dream City church, with featured speaker President Donald J. Trump. The event would be held during a spike in the Covid19 pandemic and, according to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallegos, masks were not required. [36] Officials of the Dream City church, however, said that participants would be protected by ionizing technology. [37]

The group's founder, Ryan Fournier

The organization's co-founder, Ryan Fournier, is from Long Branch, NJ.[38] Fournier became politically active following his volunteer work for the Mitt Romney 2012 presidential campaign.[38] Prior to launching Students for Trump, Fournier was involved in various local and state political campaigns within North Carolina.[38] Along with being the Co-Chairman of Students for Trump, Fournier also serves as the President of OpenPoll and xStrategies.[39]

In 2015, Fournier and John Lambert launched Students for Trump as a Twitter account while they were studying at Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC.[40] Fournier graduated from Campbell University in May 2019 with a degree in Political Science.[41] He is also a member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, Zeta Psi chapter.[42][43]

Fournier was awarded Newsmax's 30 Under 30 Award in 2017 [44] and 2018.[45] He is also a recipient of the Red Alert Politics 30 Under 30 Award.[43]

In July 2018, Fournier launched a boycott against Walmart for selling shirts labeled "Impeach 45," which resulted in the hashtag #BoycottWalmart trending on Twitter.[46] Walmart pulled the items from its online store, issuing the following statement: "These items were sold by third-party sellers on our open marketplace, and were not offered directly by Walmart. We’re removing these types of items pending review of our marketplace policies."[46]

In April 2019, John Lambert, the co-founder of Students for Trump and friend of Fournier's was arrested and charged with wire fraud and conspiracy for allegedly taking upward of $16,000 under false pretenses, while pretending to be an attorney.[47]

In July 2019, Fournier was labeled 'Creep of the Week' by Between the Lines after he attacked Elizabeth Warren for her usage of gender pronouns within her Twitter biography.[48]

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Fournier suggested defunding the World Health Organization @ryanafournier (6 April 2020). "Fournier asks for WHO to be defunded" (Tweet) – via Twitter.