“Not an easy video to post”: Ex-Turning Point USA manager says she was fired for “questioning the narrative” of Kirk’s death

A former employee of Turning Point USA has posted a public video alleging mistreatment inside the conservative nonprofit following her termination.

Aubrey Laitsch said she was fired amid broader staff cuts but decided to speak publicly, she claimed, to document changes in leadership, escalating work demands, and what she described as a culture that discouraged questioning authority after Charlie Kirk’s assassination in 2025.

The ex-PR manager framed her public comments as an attempt to be transparent rather than retaliatory.

In a post on X, Laitsch wrote, "I’m not here to be bitter. I’m here to be honest. [...] I’m speaking up because I know I’m not the only one who’s felt this way and our First Amendment right matters, too."

She alleged the workplace changed after leadership shifts

In the nearly 13-minute video, Laitsch said she previously served as a public relations manager of Turning Point USA. She later worked for the ATK Company, which she described as a private business linked to Turning Point’s leadership.

She claimed she worked closely with spokesperson Andrew Kolvet, whom she described as intimidating but influential within the organization.

At first, she said, the environment felt supportive and energizing. She said that when she joined in 2021, the workplace felt tight-knit and mission-driven.

She said the tone shifted around 2022 or 2023, when Charlie Kirk stepped back into a more traditional CEO role. According to Laitsch, new leaders took on greater authority. She alleged, "[they] were not people that I felt were either prepared or qualified to be, or deserving to be, in that role."

Still, she said she continued to work long hours because she believed in the organization’s mission. She stated that she routinely worked beyond her job description without additional compensation.

Meanwhile, she alleged that expectations to "push through" intensified after Kirk’s assassination in September 2025, which she described as deeply traumatic. Charlie's wife Erika Kirk became the CEO of TPUSA after his death.

Laitsch claimed she and others worked 20-hour days in the months that followed, and that there were no meaningful breaks or opportunities to grieve. Instead, she said leadership expected nonstop productivity during major events like AmericaFest.

"It's just been go, go, go for almost the past six months with no extra compensation, no breaks," she said.

She claimed her termination involved an Uber rumor and silenced dissent

Laitsch said she was called into a meeting with Kolvet and Turning Point USA CMO Marina Minas. During that meeting, she alleged that leadership cited an unusual accusation involving an Uber ride.

According to her account, an executive spoke with an Uber driver who allegedly claimed his daughter heard negative comments about Turning Point from someone named "Aubrey." Laitsch denied the story, claiming it did not align with her relationships or views. 

She stated, "Turning Point has not insinuated this. They never told me anything like this. However, I just have a gut feeling that I was terminated from Turning Point because I am questioning the narrative of what happened to my role model and CEO Charlie Kirk on the day of his assassination."

Ultimately, Laitsch said she spoke out to defend former coworkers and current staff.

While she acknowledged her love for the organization, she stated, "I just refuse to stand by, watch my peers be unfairly treated, and watch leadership attempt to take over something that was Charlie through and through. And something that he poured his heart, soul, and mind into building and creating and maintaining."

Laitsch's video on X was quote-tweeted by conservative commentator Candace Owens, who has been sharing conspiracy theories about Charlie's assassination and feuding with Erika since his death.

"One of the fired employees from Turning Point USA speaks out about the organization’s new direction!" she wrote.

Aubrey Laitsch did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.

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