Vice President JD Vance revealed before his speaking engagement with Turning Point USA in Athens on Tuesday that Erika Kirk, wife of the organization’s founder, would not attend due to “serious threats” made against her.
The nature of those threats was not revealed.
Vance told the gathering in Akins Ford Arena that he was worried the event might be cancelled, but after speaking with the U.S. Secret Service, a decision was made that he would attend the rally sponsored by the University of Georgia chapter of the non-profit organization.
“I said, you know what? Let’s let Erika do what she needs to do for herself and her family,” said Vance, who defended her against criticism that emerged around her response to her husband’s slaying in September 2025, when he was shot and killed during a rally on a college campus in Utah.
The rally drew a crowd of mostly young people with about 50 lining up to ask the vice president a question after his initial remarks. There was time for about a half dozen questions, but he used much of his time to encourage students to stay involved in the political process.
The area around the arena and civic center was heavily manned by law enforcement officers with some streets blocked off for security reasons. The event in Athens was one of several planned by Turning Point for university campuses.
A group of people did gather outside the venue in protest of Vance’s visit, but they were kept about a block away from the arena.
But many of those attending the rally felt different about the visit.
“It was awesome and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be here. I’m also grateful they opened it up for students that don’t just go to UGA,” Emily Marconi of Athens said.
Candice Bailey, a retired UGA employee who resides in Watkinsville, said she supports Trump and Vance.
“I feel like he needs to be our next president,” she said. She said she doesn’t feel that current problems in dealing with Iran will hurt him in the long run.
“I think he has a solid plan and I trust Trump and his team 100 percent. I do think he’s doing the right thing for the United States and our future,” Bailey said.
Other speakers at the event included Caroline Mattox, the chapter president, who told the gathering that Kirk’s death is not the end of the movement, but a new beginning.
Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a UGA graduate and football player, led the audience in a Bulldog pep rally cheer to introduce Vance to the Southeastern Conference School.
Vance touched on several subjects from the dispute between President Trump and the Pope to the war with Iran.
He noted there is a cease fire in place in Iran, but a deal hasn’t been made to end the war.
“The reason the deal is not yet done is because the President – he really wants a deal where Iran doesn’t have a nuclear weapon – where Iran is not sponsoring terrorism, but also the people of Iran can thrive and prosper in the world economy,” he said.
With that remark, Vance received a loud applause.
When asked about the midterm elections when some polls show Democrats ahead in many races, Vance told the group to expect Republicans to be more unified as the election dates near.
He described these predictions as “cynical pessimistic garbage pushed by people who want us to completely give up. Don’t give up.”
