Since Average American began reporting on the allegations against Taylor Sharp, we have maintained that he is innocent until proven guilty, not for legal protection, but because we believe in the rule of law. We believe in an independent court to make decisions of life and death, decisions of morality and legality. We also believe in a free press to hold people in power and positions of influence accountable. That is why we began covering the allegations. No other reason.
We aren’t being paid by Faith Merrill or any intelligence agency, and we definitely aren’t biased in this discussion. We aren’t pro-Faith or pro-Taylor, no matter what anyone claims. There have been times when we’ve been extremely frustrated with both Taylor and Faith, but in the end, that does not affect our reporting. Politics is a marketplace of ideas, and our goal isn’t to tell you what side to take. That is definitely not the intention of this article.
HOW THIS HAPPENED
Two days ago, we released a message to Taylor Sharp. Here is the main point: “We want to be honest: you have taken nearly every step possible to let people cast you as a villain. But we don’t think you are one. Maybe immoral, maybe ill-advised. But not a villain.”
That single statement has defined our reporting. The following day, Taylor began correspondence with me, and it created an avenue for his side of the story to be shared, a side that has never been shared.
Taylor and I spoke on the phone for nearly an hour and a half. This was one of the most interesting conversations of my political career. We agreed to speak under the notion that it would just be him and me, no legal team, no consultants. He held up his end of the bargain, and so did I. We discussed all matters relevant to our reporting, misconceptions, and outright lies that have been spewed by others. We both agreed that for the conversation to be helpful, we would do it in good faith.
A note before we go further: some of what Taylor shared aligns with what we’ve been able to verify independently. Some of it does not. We are presenting his account, in his own words where possible, because it is a side of this story that has not been heard. We’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
ON THE ALLEGATIONS, GENERALLY
We opened by each voicing our overall thoughts on the allegations. Taylor told me there is some truth to what has gone out publicly, but he was firm that the physical abuse allegations are not true. We have followed up with our sources on this specific point, and they maintain the opposite.
On infidelity, Taylor did not deny it. He confirmed the allegations of rampant infidelity are factual, both in his current relationship with fiancée Gianna Carlson and in past relationships. Near the end of the call, he put it bluntly: “Don’t ever come to me for relationship advice.”
He was fairly candid throughout the conversation. There were moments where I knew, or believed, he wasn’t being fully truthful with me. We’ve chosen not to litigate those moments point by point here. The goal of this piece is to share his side of the story, not to referee every claim in real time.
THE MS. REED ALLEGATIONS AND THE ORDER OF PROTECTION
Taylor reiterated his denial of the alleged abuse involving Ms. Reed, standing by the same timeline he laid out in his response video several weeks ago. He offered nothing new on that front.
I also asked him directly about an active restraining order from a past relationship, something we’d received in an anonymous tip, and something others have referenced publicly in response to the allegations. Taylor said it is not a restraining order, but an order of protection, and that it stemmed from him exposing an ex-girlfriend for seeing someone else the day after their relationship ended. According to Taylor, that’s what led her to pursue the order against him. We were not able to independently verify this account.
ON OUR SOURCING
Taylor pushed back on our editorial process directly, telling me our reliance on anonymous tips isn’t something people are going to find credible. I defended it. I told him we’ve heard, from more than one source, that he pressures people who speak out against him with threats of legal action. He denied that as well. To be clear: we have no proof that he does this, and we have no proof that he doesn’t.
FAITH, POLITICS, AND CHARLIE KIRK
I asked Taylor if he considers himself a Christian. His answer: “We’re all sinners. We all fall short of the glory of God. But yes, I’m a Christian.”
I also asked how he got into politics, since there’s a competing story floating around suggesting his real origin in the space isn’t what it appears to be. Taylor said he dabbled with posts here and there starting around age nine, but didn’t take politics seriously until after Charlie Kirk’s assassination this past year. He said he and Kirk crossed paths often. Taylor used to attend Dream City Church in Phoenix, which no longer counts him as a member, and which regularly rented its auditorium to Turning Point Faith, the ministry arm Kirk founded. Public reporting confirms Dream City Church was, in fact, a church Kirk attended and where Turning Point Faith events were held.
Taylor also addressed criticism, including from Faith Merrill, that Dream City Church holds an ultra-Zionist, pro-Israel stance. He said he wasn’t aware of the church’s position on Israel until a friend later pointed it out to him and that prompted him to stop attending the church.
THE PHYSICAL ALLEGATIONS: KISSES, HOTELS, AND AN AIRBNB
Taylor flatly denied the forced-kiss allegation, saying the only person he kissed that night was Gianna, now his fiancée.
He also confirmed something we’d already heard independently: that he and Gianna met on day two or three of AmFest, that he thought she was attractive, and that he invited her onto his podcast, an account corroborated by TikTok clips of the two of them from that event. He said Gianna went home afterward, and he later visited her in Texas, where he described having “a great week.”
Taylor confirmed the two of them are now living together, and that Gianna’s parents, who initially liked him, no longer do, a shift he attributed to “her choosing him over them”. He also confirmed a tip we’d received that Gianna left high school before finishing, though he disputes the framing: he says she was homeschooled, and that her family withheld her diploma rather than her simply dropping out. Our source denies that framing.
On a separate incident we’d previously reported, allegations that Taylor became angry with Gianna in a van after the NHSC conference because she forgot his shoes, allegedly telling her she “wanted this job,” Taylor denied it happened, and said there’d be no reason for Gianna to need to work given his income. Faith Merrill has publicly disputed that financial claim.
Asked about a separate incident that weekend, where he allegedly got into it with a volunteer at the NHSC conference after being questioned about his security detail, Taylor said he did not recall the exchange at all.
Taylor also confirmed a previously reported incident in which he arranged to meet someone at a hotel, an encounter that person has described as harassment. Taylor maintains he was invited there. A third party present that day disputes his account and stands by the description of harassment.
ONE LIGHTER MOMENT
Not everything on the call was heavy. Taylor confirmed a quote we’d previously reported, that he once called Annie (an alias for one of our sources) “a fridge blocking the snacks,” calling it accurate, word for word. He said he plans to buy one of the shirts we’ve made referencing the line.
ON RESPECT
Near the end of the call, I asked Taylor a simple question: does he respect women? He said yes.
We’ll leave it to you, the reader, to weigh what’s here. Some of it we could confirm. Some of it we couldn’t. All of it is presented as Taylor told it to us, because for the first time, it’s being told at all.