‘We need a revival in this nation!’ Starnes Addresses Conservative College Students
Conservative leader Todd Starnes delivered a wide-ranging and compelling speech last weekend at the Young America’s Foundation (YAF) 2026 Freedom Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
Starnes — a Newsmax television host, nationally-syndicated radio host and the author of 10 books, laid the groundwork for what conservatives need to focus on in coming years, particularly once President Donald Trump finishes his second term and transitions the Republican Party to new leadership.
“What happens when President Trump leaves? Well, we’re all going to have to stand in the gap,” Starnes told YAF. Watch his full speech here.
The YAF conference, which commemorated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, hosted dozens of conservative college students and young journalists from across the country.
The event also featured prominent political speakers from media, government, and activism. Overarching conference themes included celebrating America’s founding principles and defending free speech on college campuses.
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As a longtime radio host and writer, Starnes brought a unique perspective to the conference, drawing on his experience interviewing President Trump multiple times in-person and on his media programs.
Trump is a frequent guest on Todd’s national radio show heard daily from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. Eastern.
During his YAF speech, Starnes reflected on a two-hour conversation with Trump from several years ago during a visit to Mar-a-Lago beach club in Palm Beach, Florida. As part of the two-hour interview, Starnes asked Trump why he wanted to be president despite having a luxurious private life in New York City.
Then-candidate Trump said he’s running because he truly loves America.
A Mid-South multimedia leader with national reach
Starnes Media Group (SMG), the parent company of KWAM commercial radio station in Memphis, Tennessee, is focused on putting conservative journalists into newsrooms across the country.
Since establishment media outlets are left-leaning, young conservative writers need to be elevated, Starnes told YAF.
“Every generation has to fight for freedom,” he said. “This is my favorite organization in the nation. What you guys are doing is so inspirational. And it’s such an encouragement to see the next generation of patriots rising up and standing up for the country.”
Born and raised Southern Baptist, Starnes said his mission is to steer upcoming generations in the right direction, one that embraces Christ and the patriotic values Founding Fathers brought to America.
“We need a revival in this nation,” he said. “You are the political army that’s going to go out there and you’re going to fight with ideas.”
Traditional values under attack
Starnes, who serves on the board of directors of the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, said he’s witnessed for many years the encroachment of liberal bias across universities, media institutions, and beyond.
“Our culture has been under attack. Our way of life has been under attack,” he told YAF.
Having grown up in Memphis, Starnes purposely moved to Brooklyn, New York, one of the most liberal areas in the country, to analyze left-leaning culture and better understand how to share conservative messages in the deep blue region.
He joked about the reactions progressives would give him when he wore a National Rifle Association hat around his local New York City neighborhood.
Starnes said his media work helps combat the far-left indoctrination he’s seeing in younger generations. He pointed to examples of Millennial-age Olympic athletes criticizing the United States while wearing the American flag on their jerseys during overseas competitions.
Future of the conservative movement
During his remarks, Starnes gave mention to a variety of Christian and conservative former presidents, including Ronald Reagan, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John Adams.
Starnes said there’s a correlation between prosperous countries and governments that embrace Christ-like values.
For example, Starnes said Eisenhower understood that “the battle against communism was not a political fight, it was a spiritual fight.” And that’s why he designated a National Day of Prayer in 1953.
In addition to leading with values of faith, Starnes said the conservative movement should embrace critical policy adjustments, including restoring integrity at the ballot box with the pending federal SAVE Act.
Most importantly, getting out the Republican vote will be critical for the party, especially once Trump is no longer on the ballot.
Starnes praised Trump for bringing together a strong GOP coalition but said it’ll be up to younger generations to carry the Republican torch during upcoming elections.
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