PHOENIX, ARIZONA December 21, 2025 – Vice President JD Vance delivered a fiery keynote address on the final day of Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 conference, emphasizing American unity through patriotism while rejecting identity-based divisions. Speaking to a crowd of thousands at the Phoenix Convention Center, Vance stated: “In the United States of America, you don’t have to apologize for being White anymore.”
He continued: “We don’t persecute you for being male, for being straight, for being gay, for being anything. The only thing that we demand is that you be a Great American Patriot.”
The remarks, captured in a widely shared video clip from the event, drew enthusiastic applause from attendees. Vance’s speech touched on themes of race, sexuality, and national identity, positioning patriotism as the sole requirement for acceptance in America under the Trump administration.
AmericaFest 2025, held from December 18-21, marked the first conference since the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk earlier in the year. The event honored Kirk’s legacy and featured prominent conservative speakers, with over 30,000 attendees reported.
Vance, who was close friends with the late Charlie Kirk, served as a keynote speaker amid ongoing endorsements for his potential 2028 presidential run. Earlier in the conference, Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk (Charlie Kirk’s widow) pledged the organization’s support to elect Vance as the 48th president.
The vice president’s comments align with broader America First messaging, rejecting what he and supporters describe as divisive identity politics. The clip has garnered significant engagement on social media, with supporters praising it as “based” and a call for national unity.
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