PHOENIX — Vice President JD Vance took the stage at the Turning Point’s AmericaFest, urging unity among conservatives after days of intense infighting within the MAGA movement. The event, deeply shadowed by the recent murder of its founder Charlie Kirk, saw top Republican figures grappling with internal disputes while trying to refocus on the upcoming electoral battles.

“President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeating purity tests,” Vance stated, receiving strong applause from the 30,000 attendees. His remarks emphasized the need to move past internal conflicts and focus on the larger political fight against Democrats. “We have far more important work to do than canceling each other," Vance added.

The conference, which began on Thursday, initially spiraled into division following comments by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. Shapiro criticized several prominent figures within the MAGA-verse, including Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Steve Bannon, for what he described as dishonesty and conspiracism. This schism was further fueled by presidential-hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy and Steve Bannon, each taking opposing stances on the direction of the conservative movement.

In response to the murder of Charlie Kirk, Vance, along with other speakers such as Donald Trump Jr., tried to harness the crowd's grief and anger toward a unified effort against the opposition, particularly focusing on the midterms. “If you miss Charlie Kirk, do you promise to fight what he died for? Do you promise to take the country back from the people who took his life?” Vance challenged the crowd.

The event also served as a platform for Republicans to criticize their Democratic adversaries, with Vance specifically targeting Senate candidates Graham Platner of Maine and Jasmine Crockett of Texas. His fiery rhetoric culminated in chants of "USA" from the audience, signaling a robust rallying cry for the forthcoming elections.

Amidst the heated exchanges and emotional speeches, some, like Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), called for a return to principled unity. “I choose to build a movement, be part of a movement, that stands on principle, on strength, that loves the people in the movement, even sometimes when they piss you off,” said Donalds.

The weekend’s events underscored the ongoing tensions and the critical crossroads at which the conservative movement finds itself. As the gathering concluded, the focus was clear: to bridge divides and prepare for a significant electoral showdown in the next year, with the legacy of Charlie Kirk and the future direction of the MAGA movement hanging in the balance.