Vance: ‘America First’ Movement Welcomes Critical Thinkers, Rejects ‘Purity Tests’

In a striking display of unity at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025, Vice President JD Vance delivered a powerful closing address, emphasizing that the “America First” movement welcomes all patriots regardless of background or ideology.

The event in Phoenix marked TPUSA’s first major convention since the assassination of its founder Charlie Kirk in September. Kirk’s widow, Erika, who now leads the organization, participated in a discussion with surprise guest Nicki Minaj shortly before Vance took the stage.

“People of every faith come to our banner because they know that the America First movement will make our lives better,” Vance told the enthusiastic crowd, contrasting the inclusive nature of their coalition with what he characterized as Democrats’ narrow focus.

Addressing tensions that had surfaced earlier in the conference, Vance dismissed the need for ideological purity tests. “President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeating purity tests,” he stated, referencing divisions among conservative speakers on issues like Israel, Ukraine aid, and other controversial topics.

The Vice President emphasized the movement’s openness to diversity of thought and background. “We don’t care if you’re White or Black, rich or poor, young or old, rural or urban, controversial or a little bit boring, or somewhere in between,” Vance declared, positioning the America First platform as a big tent for anyone who loves the country.

Rather than viewing disagreements as weaknesses, Vance reframed them as strengths of a vibrant political movement. “Wouldn’t you rather lead a movement of freethinkers who sometimes disagree than a bunch of drones who take their orders from George Soros?” he asked, drawing applause from attendees.

Vance highlighted the administration’s early policy successes, claiming 2025 represented the first year in over half a century with negative net migration. He stated that millions of unauthorized immigrants have either voluntarily departed or been deported since President Trump’s return to office.

“When you restore sanity at the border, it shows up everywhere else,” Vance said, connecting immigration enforcement to economic improvements. He cited declining rent costs, gas prices, inflation, and unemployment as evidence of the administration’s effective policies.

The Vice President also addressed the administration’s stance on diversity initiatives in education and hiring. “We made it clear that in the United States we believe in hard work and merit – we don’t treat anybody [a certain way] because of their race or their sex, so we have relegated DEI to the dustbin of history which is exactly where it belongs,” he stated.

In a poignant moment, Vance referenced Charlie Kirk’s influence, sharing that the late TPUSA founder once told him that politics is not a “dress rehearsal or a game” but a series of decisions that shape the nation’s future.

Vance also pledged to honor Kirk’s legacy by combating what he termed “left-wing violence,” promising to prosecute not just violent actors but those who fund such activities – a reference to what he described as “shadowy, deep-pocketed leftist interests.”

As he concluded his remarks, Vance offered a vision of what the America First agenda would deliver. “My friends, commit to these things, and I promise you victory: I promise you closed borders and safe communities. I promise you good jobs and a dignified life,” he said, adding that while “only God can promise you salvation and heaven,” together they could “fulfill the promise of the greatest nation in the history of the earth.”

The conference, which featured various conservative voices and heated discussions about the movement’s direction, ultimately centered on reinforcing the coalition that returned Donald Trump to the White House while navigating the path forward without one of its most influential young leaders.