An Oklahoma State University student says he was reprimanded and threatened by a university staffer simply for wearing a Turning Point USA “47” hat while speaking in honor of Charlie Kirk.
Joshua Wilson, a junior and Senate University Chairman at OSU, says the confrontation came out of nowhere during a routine one-on-one meeting with a student government coordinator, News9 reported.
What started as a heartfelt tribute to Kirk, who was assassinated by a radical leftist, quickly devolved into a chilling lecture on “triggered” family members and veiled warnings about his future at the university.
Wilson said the hat, a white ball cap emblazoned with a gold “47” (for Donald Trump as the 47th President) and the Turning Point USA logo, wasn’t intended as a political statement.
He and a friend decided to speak briefly at a student government meeting to honor Charlie Kirk, who had visited the campus earlier this year as part of his Turning Point USA Campus Tour.
“Me and my friends were so distraught, but the first kind of thought that came to our mind was, ‘What do other students kind of think right now?” Wilson told News9. “If we’re this pained by it, if we’re worried about what may happen to us also, what are other students worried about?”
Donning their TPUSA hats, they stepped up to remind their peers that open dialogue, not censorship, is the bedrock of America.
“We thought, OK, we have our turning point hats, let’s go to student government and show our constituents they don’t have to be afraid to have a conversation and to speak about what they believe in, and that’s what we did,” Wilson said.
“It wasn’t something that was partisan. It wasn’t something that we were supporting Trump, you know, but it was a hat that symbolized that conversation is what built this country, what should maintain it.”
During the meeting, Wilson said his message was met with applause and support. No one, including the staff member who would later reprimand him, voiced any objections at the time.
“For me personally, it has nothing to do with partisan politics whatsoever, it’s just something I got at an event that meant a lot to me,” Wilson said.
“In that meeting, I hope that with the student government where I was giving my speech, I hope it was expressed that was not the issue, not partisan politics, but just the issue or the crux of the idea of why I brought the hat to campus was that students shouldn’t feel afraid, and we can go forward.”
A week later, Wilson said he was summoned to a private meeting by the staffer who had been present at his speech. He described feeling threatened and cornered.
During the meeting, which Wilson recorded and obtained by News9, the staffer admitted she was offended by his attire, saying:
“I have family who don’t look like you who are triggered by those hats and by that side.”
Wilson said he calmly explained that his hat was not about partisan politics, but about honoring free speech and the First Amendment. The staffer allegedly replied that if he “questioned that belief,” his year “might not be easy.”
WATCH:
UNREAL
Student at Oklahoma State University was reprimanded and threatened by a faculty member after he spoke at a meeting to honor Charlie Kirk.
Hey @okstate, is it your policy to discriminate against conservatives? pic.twitter.com/Y4y4wG375j
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 11, 2025
After the incident gained attention, Oklahoma State University released a statement insisting that no policy forbids partisan expression.
“The OSU Student Government Association has a nonpartisan tradition. However, the organization has no official policies to restrict partisan expression, and the organization has not enacted or enforced such a policy. The student in question spoke freely during last month’s SGA meeting and expressed his views without interruption or restriction,” a spokesperson told Fox News.
“The university is committed to protecting, promoting and facilitating free expression for all students, regardless of their views, and clarification regarding SGA policies has been provided to appropriate university staff. OSU embraces its role as a marketplace of ideas, and we believe a robust public discourse is essential to the process of addressing society’s most pressing challenges, which is our charge as a land-grant institution.”
Executive Producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, Andrew Kolvet, posted on X that the staff member who reprimanded Wilson has been placed on administrative leave, and OSU has launched an internal investigation.
“The leadership of Oklahoma State University has taken quick action and the faculty member who reprimanded a student for honoring Charlie has been placed on administrative leave. I’m told the University has launched an internal investigation to determine what further action is needed to “ensure the values of the University are reflected in the faculty for the student body.”
UPDATE SCOOP: The leadership of Oklahoma State University has taken quick action and the faculty member who reprimanded a student for honoring Charlie has been placed on administrative leave. I’m told the University has launched an internal investigation to determine what… https://t.co/zjxNWtRUwV
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) October 12, 2025
