How conservatives infiltrated the DNC, causing a social media stir (2024)

At least three conservatives attended the Democratic National Convention and created content for their platforms, bragging about their work on social media.

Charlie Kirk, 30, Jack Posobiec, 39, and Matt Walsh, 38, were all seen at the DNC which ran August 19 to August 22.

Kirk and Posobiec both identify as conservative activists, while Walsh is a self-described "theocratic fascist."

The individuals, who all have large online followings, spread their message through what appeared to be stunts and trolling, while other more moderate Republicans made earnest speeches at the convention describing why they are voting for Harris instead of Trump in November.

Kirk, a radio talk show host and internet personality, is known for founding Turning Point USA, a non-profit that advocates for conservative politics in educational settings.

He is also known for his view that white privilege is a myth, and climate change denial.

When discussing his motivations for attending the DNC, Kirk told The New York Post, "I wanted to get our message out. I also wanted to learn, I'm learning a lot, to know your enemy is to know how to win and I'm learning a lot about the base of the Democratic party, I'm learning a lot about the mood, the tone, and how they feel."

But as well as learning, he also used his presence as a way to create provocative content.

One video he posted showed a heated exchange with Parker Short, 22, the president of Young Democrats of Georgia, in which Short confronted him and he responded by asking, "What is a woman?" seemingly referring to political debates over gender identity. It prompted an exasperated seeming Short to walk away from the conversation.

Kirk also posted direct criticism of the DNC, including clips of security guards removing Free Palestine protesters from the premises and live commentary on speakers' speeches, stating that Barack Obama "has a lot of sweet sounding poison."

Another conservative who posted footage of himself confronting Democrats with his views is Posobiec, who is known for his previous work for One America News Network, and recently his contributions to the news site Human Events, which he filmed content for at the DNC.

He filmed various videos from the DNC, both outside the convention and indoors, and made an appearance on the Charlie Kirk Show on August 21.

One clip of Posobiec showed him getting into a heated altercation with a woman outside the convention when he repeatedly asked her if she's "so upset" because she "couldn't get to the abortion van on time," referring to a Planned Parenthood mobile health clinic that was operating in Chicago at the same time as the DNC, but was unaffiliated with the convention.

The woman appeared increasingly antagonized by the question, using expletives before walking away from the conversation.

In another clip, Posobiec can be seen following and confronting former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, asking him why he didn't "vet Tim Walz for stolen valor," after being asked to back off several times.

Perhaps the most successful infiltration was carried out by Walsh, an author, podcaster, and columnist for the Daily Wire, who was first spotted at the DNC by attendees. Many took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to remark on his appearance, as it appeared he was wearing a disguise similar to the one worn in his upcoming film Am I Racist?.

He later confirmed his attendance at the DNC by posting a photo of him passing out what appear to be flyers labeled "learn the truth about Project2025.com" for voters to learn about Trump's agenda on X.

However, when clicking the link to the website in his post, readers are redirected to a fake Project 2025 website which features the advertisem*nt for his movie. Harris' campaign has repeatedly linked Project 2025, an initiative from the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, to Trump, although he has disavowed its controversial manifesto.

Many interpreted Walsh's stunt as an attempt to troll Democrats. He even managed to plug the website in an interview with former CNN host Don Lemon, who appeared to believe he was actually discussing Project 2025 for his show.

Walsh also recorded a more than 50-minute episode documenting his experience at the DNC for his show The Matt Walsh Show, where he details his "own journey of self discovery at the DNC."

Another unexpected face at the DNC was former Trump advisor and avid supporter Mike Lindell, the founder of My Pillow. He also attended the DNC in disguise and filmed altercations with Democrats, including 21-year-old activist Harry Sisson.

Lindell shaved his famous mustache to attend the convention to deliver "undercover footage" for FrankSpeech viewers, a conservative broadcast network and news platform. He has received extensive support from Posobiec on X for his efforts.

Newsweek reached out to Kirk and Posobiec via forms on their websites, Walsh via email, and Lindell via X for comment.

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