Daily Wire host Michael Knowles defended the idea of Americans as a distinct people with a “real historical lineage and a real historical destiny” on Thursday night. Knowles spoke on the main stage during the first night of Turning Point USA’s America Fest conference in Phoenix, Arizona. In a speech largely about uniting the American political Right, Knowles described the American people as having a heritage that sets them apart from others. “To be on the team, you have to acknowledge that there is such a thing as the American people. We’re not just an idea floating in outer space. We are a real people with a real historical lineage and a real historical destiny,” said Knowles. What defines Americanism became a point of debate online this week after Vivek Ramaswamy, a former 2024 GOP presidential candidate and current candidate for Ohio governor, wrote an op-ed for The New York Times arguing that the “American identity is based on ideals.” Knowles appeared to push back against that idea in his speech at AmFest. Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships “We have a real historical experience and character that is not magically imbued through a few lines of philosophy or a naturalization pop quiz,” he said. “At different times, we’ve taken in foreigners. When it’s worked, those foreigners have come to act and talk and even look like us. When it hasn’t worked, they haven’t.” “If you prefer the flag of some other nation, the customs and habits of some other people, you are not on my team. If you are and want to be a member of the American people, you are on my team,” he added. Follow along with The Daily Wire’s live coverage here and live blog here.