Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    The future of Charlie Kirk’s MAGA youth empire

    The slain right-wing activist combined organization acumen and internet savvy to build a political machine. Now his death is being used to justify a crackdown on the left.

    • rss
    • apple-podcasts
    • spotify
    • Share
    KCRW placeholderBy Marisa Lagos • Sep 16, 2025 • 1 min read

    The slain right-wing activist combined organization acumen and internet savvy to build a political machine. Now his death is being used to justify a crackdown on the left.

    The full episode

    1 of 4
    James Conlon on his last season with LA Opera
    1. 0:00The future of Charlie Kirk’s MAGA youth empireYou’re reading this
    2. 14:49Remembering Robert Redford
    3. 24:42LA Opera’s James Conlon wants to bring classical arts to all schools
    4. 40:02Sklars talk Dodger blues, WNBA’s new team, UCLA mayhem
    • KCRW placeholder

      Marisa Lagos

      KQED political correspondent

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Angie Perrin

      Producer, Press Play

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Amy Ta

      Digital News & Culture Editor

    • KCRW placeholder

      Kyle Spencer

      author of “Raising Them Right: The Untold Story of America's Ultraconservative Youth Movement”

      NewsPoliticsNational

    The full episode

    1 of 4
    James Conlon on his last season with LA Opera
    1. 0:00The future of Charlie Kirk’s MAGA youth empireYou’re reading this
    2. 14:49Remembering Robert Redford
    3. 24:42LA Opera’s James Conlon wants to bring classical arts to all schools
    4. 40:02Sklars talk Dodger blues, WNBA’s new team, UCLA mayhem
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand