University of Iowa Student Arrested After Disrupting TPUSA Event
Justin Pham Calhoon, a 19-year-old student at the University of Iowa, was arrested after videos showed him flipping a table at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) promotional event on campus. Calhoon, who reportedly goes by “Niko” and identifies as a transgender woman, disrupted the event held on Wednesday.
The TPUSA event, dubbed “Cocoa and Conservatives,” was designed to provide students with free hot chocolate and distribute promotional materials on T. Anne Cleary Walkway near the Tippie College of Business. In the viral video, Calhoon declined the offer of hot chocolate and then overturned the table, sending cups and promotional items flying.
“No thanks,” Calhoon is heard saying before abruptly flipping the table, laughing as he walked away.
Following the incident, TPUSA leaders described the group as “visibly shaken,” halting the event entirely. This act of disruption wasn’t isolated; records show Calhoon allegedly flipped a table at a Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) event on October 27, about a week prior. An arrest warrant for this earlier incident was issued on November 3, with Calhoon’s subsequent arrest on November 5 addressing both events.
Calhoon is now facing two misdemeanor charges in Johnson County, Iowa. A second video of the earlier YAF incident surfaced, showing Calhoon in a black dress flipping over another table and giving the middle finger to the camera as he left the scene.
Currently, Calhoon faces multiple charges, including Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Mischief. Court documents reveal that the student has been released without bond but is under no-contact orders in both cases. Non-jury trials are scheduled for March.
“A trans person named Justin Pham Calhoon flipped over a TPUSA table after being unable to control himself,” tweeted journalist Andy Ngo, suggesting that mainstream trans activists promote such disruptive behaviors.
Interestingly, the founder of TPUSA, Charlie Kirk, was fatally shot on November 10 while addressing questions about transgender-related violence. His alleged assailant had also previously dated a transgender individual.
Since Kirk’s death, interest in establishing new TPUSA chapters has surged, with over 120,000 students expressing interest in forming chapters across high schools and colleges nationwide.
