JD Vance Erika Kirk
TPUSA denied the Iowa State cancellation was security-related days after Vance and Kirk attended the WHCA dinner shooting. The General/X

Vice President JD Vance has pulled out of a Turning Point USA event at Iowa State University, the latest cancellation in a string of troubled campus appearances that have dogged the conservative organisation's spring tour.

The event, scheduled for 30 April, was set to feature Vance alongside Turning Point USA (TPUSA) CEO Erika Kirk, the widow of the group's founder, Charlie Kirk. TPUSA told supporters the vice president was 'forced to cancel his appearance due to a scheduling conflict,' blaming unexpectedly scheduled congressional votes.

The organisation went a step further. In an email to ticketholders, TPUSA explicitly stated the cancellation was 'not due to security concerns related to recent events.' That pointed denial referenced the 25 April shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner, where a gunman charged a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton while President Donald Trump, Vance, and hundreds of journalists were inside.

A Quarter-Full Arena and a No-Show

The Iowa cancellation follows a disastrous TPUSA event at the University of Georgia earlier this month. Vance took the stage at Akins Ford Arena on 14 April to an audience that filled only about a quarter of the venue. Photos of rows of empty seats went viral.

Kirk was originally set to interview Vance on stage, but pulled out, citing security threats. A Secret Service source later told CBS News there were no 'credible threats' tied to the event or venue. TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet blamed the poor turnout on left-wing protesters who he claimed had reserved tickets and not shown up.

Campus Leaders Walk Away

The fallout went beyond bad optics. Caroline Mattox, president of TPUSA's University of Georgia chapter, resigned days after the event, posting a statement on Instagram.

'Charlie spent his life fighting for truth, and I do not believe he would stand for the blatant dishonesty now being spread by the organisation that he built,' Mattox wrote. She said it had become 'abundantly clear' that TPUSA's 'mission and purpose have been lost along the way.'

Mattox wasn't alone. In March, the University of Arkansas TPUSA chapter unanimously voted to cut ties with the national organisation and rebranded as Young American Revival. Former chapter president Dino Fantegrossi said members were 'put off by how Charlie Kirk has been used by TPUSA since his assassination.'

Heckling and a Dinner Turned Crime Scene

At the Georgia event, Vance was also heckled by an audience member who shouted about the ongoing US war in Iran. 'Jesus Christ does not support genocide,' the attendee yelled. Vance responded from the stage and said he agreed with the principle.

Days later, both Vance and Kirk were at the WHCA dinner when Cole Tomas Allen, 31, charged a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun and handgun. The Department of Justice has since charged Allen with attempting to assassinate the president. Kirk was seen being rushed out of the venue and later posted on X that, 'I'm taking time to spend with my family.'

What Comes Next for the Campus Tour

Iowa State confirmed the event can't be rescheduled this semester because students are entering prep week and final exams. TPUSA said it 'remains fully committed' to returning to Iowa in the fall. US Representative Zach Nunn confirmed Vance would still visit the state the following week for a separate campaign event.

But the cancellations keep adding up. Two chapter leaders have walked away. Attendance has fallen short. And at the most recent TPUSA stop at Baylor University in Texas, all media were denied access to the event. The organisation built to energise young conservatives on campus now finds itself on the defensive at the very schools it was designed to win over.

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