Is Anything Holding MAGA Together?

After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, conspiracy theories and divisions multiplied on the right. On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross talks to Andrew Kolvet, a Turning Point USA spokesperson and executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” about what happens to a movement when its charismatic leader is gone, what it’s like to be the target of conspiracy theories, and whether there are any issues unifying conservatism now.

• 01:32 - Andrew’s friendship with Charlie Kirk
• 05:18 - Turning Point U.S.A.’s activism and impact
• 11:16 - Charlie Kirk’s assassination and its aftermath
• 18:42 - The divisions on the right start with conspiracy theories 
• 38:28 - “Can the right hold together on Israel?”
• 41:19 - Stress-testing the cohesion on the right
• 56:08 - The Erika Kirk/Trump contrast

(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)

Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.