The Kirk Recruitment Plot Shows Trump’s Real Endgame

Turning patriotism into partisanship is the Trojan horse.

The Kirk Recruitment Plot Shows Trump’s Real Endgame

Turning patriotism into partisanship is the Trojan horse.

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #563: Saturday, September 20th, 2025.

The Stupid Thing Everyone Laughed At

On its face, the idea of the Pentagon launching a recruitment campaign in Charlie Kirk’s name sounds laughable.

Kirk…the founder of Turning Point USA…was no war hero.

He never put on a uniform. He never deployed. He spent his career sneering at the left and whipping up the MAGA faithful from a stage.

So why would the Pentagon…even a Trump-bent Pentagon…try to slap Kirk’s name and face on a recruitment drive?

Because it isn’t about Charlie Kirk.

It’s about testing the waters for something far darker: politicizing the U.S. military… softening it into a blunt partisan instrument, and eventually weaponizing it against American citizens.

And if you think that sounds overblown…let me show you why it isn’t.

Step One: The Trial Balloon

Authoritarians don’t seize power all at once. They probe…they test…they push the boundaries.

In this case…a Pentagon official floats the idea of honoring Kirk in a recruitment campaign. The reaction? Half the country laughs…the other half shrugs. Pentagon brass issue a denial. Story over. Right?

Wrong.

The story isn’t over. It’s just beginning. Because the point of a trial balloon isn’t success…it’s desensitization.

The more outlandish the proposal…the more it serves to reset the scale of what people think is possible. If they can float “Charlie Kirk Recruitment Day” without consequence…then floating “mandatory patriotism pledges” or “loyalty-themed boot camps” doesn’t seem so crazy down the line.

This is how authoritarian creep works: normalize the absurd until it feels routine.

Step Two: Capture the Symbols

The U.S. military has always been one of America’s most trusted institutions.

In poll after poll…it outranks Congress…the presidency…even the courts.

So what does Trump want to do? Wrap his movement in the military’s credibility.

That’s what this Kirk stunt is about. Not real recruiting numbers. Not readiness. It’s about hijacking the military’s symbolic weight and bending it to Trump’s political theater.

Imagine the optics:

MAGA youth groups being treated as feeder pipelines into the military. Patriotism redefined not as loyalty to the Constitution…but as loyalty to Trump.

Symbols matter. And once Trump attaches his brand to the uniform…he’s halfway to owning the institution itself.

Step Three: Replace the Guardrails

Remember: the military was designed to be apolitical.

The Founders didn’t want a Caesar with legions loyal only to him. That’s why we have civilian control…strict norms…and a firewall between politics and the Pentagon.

But Trump has been tearing down those guardrails since day one.

• Installing Kash Patel…a loyalist with no law enforcement credibility…to run the FBI.

• Elevating propagandists like Dan Bongino into positions of real authority.

• Purging generals and career officials who resisted politicization.

Now, he’s eyeing the military as the crown jewel.

And the Kirk trial balloon shows how he’ll do it…not by marching tanks down Pennsylvania Avenue (yet)…but by slowly erasing the distinction between Trump’s movement and America’s armed forces.

Step Four: Turn the Guns Inward

Make no mistake: if Trump succeeds in politicizing the military, he will not hesitate to turn its power inward…against Americans.

We’ve already seen the previews:

• Trump deploying the National Guard against peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square.

• Trump threatening to use the Insurrection Act to put troops on the streets against citizens.

• Trump praising dictators abroad for their iron grip on domestic dissent.

This isn’t speculation…it’s history. Authoritarians always…always reach for the military as their final hammer against dissent.

And the Pentagon’s Kirk stunt? That’s the test run for making it politically palatable.

What It Means If He Succeeds

Here’s what life looks like if Trump fully captures the military:

Chilling of Free Speech:

Protest becomes too dangerous when troops are standing across from you, not just cops.

Militarized Elections:

Imagine “security zones” around polling stations controlled by loyal troops. Intimidation by uniform.

Weaponized Investigations:

Military intelligence resources redirected inward…not for national defense…but for sniffing out “disloyal” Americans.

Collapse of Trust:

Once the military is seen as Trump’s army…half the country will never trust it again. That’s a recipe for internal fracture.

In short: you don’t get democracy back from that. Ever.

Why Charlie Kirk Matters in All This

You might be asking: why Kirk? Why not a war hero? Why not a general?

Because Kirk wasn’t a soldier. He was a propagandist. And that’s exactly why he’s useful.

Trump doesn’t need military credibility…he needs cultural loyalty. Kirk’s fan base is young…rabidly partisan…and ready to be mobilized. Tying that base to the Pentagon… even symbolically…is about building an army of the faithful…not the competent.

This isn’t about defending America from foreign enemies. It’s about preparing the ground to turn the military inward…against domestic “enemies”…defined as anyone Trump labels the opposition.

The Jack Hopkins Takeaway

Here’s the truth most commentators won’t say out loud:

• This is not a PR blunder.

• This is not “tone-deaf recruitment.”

• This is a signal.

A signal that Trump is actively reshaping America’s most powerful institution into a personal weapon.

And if you shrug it off because it looks stupid….you’re falling right into the trap.

What Can We Do?

We aren’t powerless. But waiting on “someone else” to handle this is exactly how authoritarians consolidate power.

Here’s the playbook for ordinary citizens:

1. Don’t Let the Narrative Slide.

Words matter. Don’t call this a “recruitment drive.” Call it what it is: a loyalty test and a trial balloon for militarization.

2. Pressure Every Representative.

Flood congressional offices with demands for oversight. Ask them point-blank: Do you support politicizing the military with Charlie Kirk campaigns? Put them on record.

3. Expose the Symbols.

Explain to neighbors…coworkers…and family why this isn’t about Kirk…it’s about Trump trying to wrap himself in the flag to own the guns.

4. Build Relentless Noise.

Authoritarianism thrives in silence. Don’t be silent. Be the mosquito in the tent. Annoying, relentless, impossible to ignore.

5. Stay in the Fight.

This is not the end. It’s not even the climax. It’s the setup. Which means we’re still in the game…if we choose to act like it.

Things to Think About

While it may feel like the walls are closing in…we are nowhere near out of this fight.

Why? Because every scandal…every overreach…every clumsy stunt like Patel’s FBI blunders or the Kirk recruitment idea cracks the façade of inevitability.

Authoritarians project invincibility until they stumble…and that’s when ordinary people…armed with truth and persistence…land the knockout blows.

Patel may fall. Kirk may fade. But the authoritarian project doesn’t stop unless we stop it.

And that means recognizing these trial balloons for what they are: the early warning flares of a much bigger storm.

The Pentagon isn’t Trump’s army…yet. But if we sit back and laugh this off, it soon could be.

BONUS: How to Talk to Your Teens About Trump and MAGA Without Driving Them Toward It

Here’s the tough reality: America’s teenagers are swimming in political propaganda.

TikTok…YouTube…Twitch…Instagram…these platforms are crawling with slick influencers pumping out MAGA talking points dressed up as memes…jokes…and “hot takes.”

If you’re raising (or helping raise) a 13–18 year old…you’re on the front lines whether you like it or not.

The danger isn’t just that they’ll stumble into radical content.

The danger is that if you come at them too hard…lecturing…shaming…yelling…you’ll trigger the teenage defense mechanism: rebellion.

Tell a teen not to touch the hot stove…and you can bet they’ll test it just to prove you wrong.

So here’s the better play…the psychological judo moves that keep them open… questioning…and nudged toward the truth without ever feeling shoved.

1. Start With Questions, Not Lectures

Instead of hammering them with “Here’s why Trump is dangerous,” flip it:

• “What do you think about what you’re hearing from people like Trump or Rogan?”

• “Why do you think so many people your age are getting pulled into these videos?”

Teen brains are wired to crave autonomy. Questions let them feel like they’re discovering answers instead of being handed commandments.

2. Use Inoculation Theory

Just like a vaccine…you can expose them to a weaker dose of misinformation and then walk them through why it’s wrong.

Example:

“Some influencers say Trump is a ‘fighter against corruption.’ Why do you think they use that language? Let’s look at who’s funding them.”

When they spot the trick themselves…the propaganda loses its grip.

3. Tell Stories…Not Statistics

Data bounces off teenagers. Stories stick. Don’t just say “authoritarianism is bad.” Tell them about how a family in Hungary or Russia suddenly lost freedoms…or how your own grandparents fought fascism. Connect history to real human consequences.

4. Affirm Their Values…Even When They’re Testing You

If they say something parroting MAGA…don’t panic. Say:

• “I get why you’d be drawn to someone who seems strong, who fights for what he believes. That’s a good instinct.”
  Then pivot:

• “The trick is…are they fighting for you, or for themselves?”

You validate the underlying value (strength, fairness, independence) while gently showing how MAGA hijacks those values for manipulation.

5. Create Curiosity…Don’t Close Doors

Instead of “Don’t watch that garbage,” say:

• “Let’s watch it together…I want to see what you’re seeing.”

You turn it from a secret rebellion into a shared experience. Then you can pause and unpack: “Did you notice how they used fear there? Why do you think they left out that detail?”

6. Model Calm…Not Panic

Teens are emotional radar systems.

If you’re foaming at the mouth about Trump…they’ll tune you out. If you stay calm… curious…and steady…they’ll mirror it.

Authoritarians thrive on triggering emotion. The antidote is modeling control.

7. Give Them a Bigger Identity to Belong To

One of the biggest pulls of MAGA for teens? Tribal belonging.

People want to belong to something that feels powerful. That doesn’t vanish when we turn 18. You crave it. I crave it. And right here…inside JHN…we’ve got it.

Now, let’s be clear:

Tribes aren’t automatically “good” or “bad.” The only question that matters is this…does the tribe build something bigger than itself, something that makes this country stronger and freer?

I think you’ll agree:

The tribe we’ve built here at JHN does exactly that.

Use that to help reduce the odds of them winding up attracted to a tribe…that doesn’t.

Your counterplay:

Offer a stronger…more inspiring tribe. Talk about youth-led climate marches…civil rights history…or Gen Z activists changing laws. Show them they’re part of a legacy of fighters for freedom.

8. Plant Seeds…Don’t Demand Fruit

Your job isn’t to flip them overnight. It’s to plant questions that gnaw at them later.

The most powerful moment isn’t them saying, “You’re right, Mom.” It’s them lying in bed at 1 a.m. thinking, “Wait…why DID that influencer ignore Trump’s corruption?”

It’s an approach I used daily when assisting men, women, and youth, working through their personal issues and challenges.

That’s when the seed takes root.

The Bottom Line

You’re not just arguing politics…you’re playing the long game of shaping identity. Do it wrong…and you drive them deeper into MAGA’s arms.

Do it right…and you equip them with an internal compass that points them away from demagogues for life.

So don’t be the nagging parent or grandparent. Be the guide…the coach…the steady hand. Let them feel ownership of their beliefs while giving them the tools to see through the con.

Because if we lose the next generation to authoritarianism…it won’t matter who wins the next election. The future will already be lost.

Did this article hit home?

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I’ll be back soon. I sincerely and genuinely hope that you enjoy your day.

Resilience is ours,

-Jack

P.S. Next week I’ll be sending my paid readers a deep-dive dossier: Trump’s actual shortlist of military and law enforcement loyalists…who they are…where they came from, and what they’d do if given command.

This is the intel you won’t see on CNN or the Times. Paid subscribers get it first…because you’re funding the fight.