It was President Trump who introduced that conservative commentator and activist Charlie Kirk had died after he was shot throughout a Turning Level USA occasion at Utah Valley College on Wednesday afternoon. The president, who was near Kirk, praised his enchantment to younger People and mourned him in a social media put up.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us,” Mr. Trump wrote on Fact Social.
The president additionally ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff till Sunday night to honor Kirk.
Later Wednesday, Mr. Trump launched a video assertion about Kirk, blaming the “radical left” for his killing. “For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” he stated in a video posted to Fact Social. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”
Democratic and Republican politicians alike condemned Kirk’s homicide, though amongst some in Congress, there have been disagreements about the best way to observe his dying on the Home ground. Speaker Mike Johnson tried to carry a second of silence for Kirk. Then, in response to the Home gallery, GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado requested for some extent of order — she reshared an X put up that stated she had requested for a second of prayer. A Democrat yelled, “No.” Boebert and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, then began to talk out, as different lawmakers who gave the impression to be Democrats responded. One yelled, “There was just a shooting in Colorado!” One other stated “Pass some gun laws!” Johnson repeatedly known as for order.
“The great tragic irony about this, one of the tragedies, is that Charlie represented that, the best of it,” Johnson continued. “He’s the guy that was the champion out on the front lines having the debate, but he he loved the people that disagreed with him …. He loved it, and he loved the debate.”
“That’s what’s so important for us to remember,” Johnson stated. “We shouldn’t regard one another as enemies. We’re fellow Americans, and we should have vigorous debate, but it cannot lead to political violence. It’s just too much.”
File: Charlie Kirk, founding father of Turning Level USA, enters the plaza and talks along with his supporters, Might 1, 2025.
Michael Ho Wai Lee/SOPA Photographs/LightRocket through Getty Photographs
Biden says there’s “no place in our country for this kind of violence”
Former President Joe Biden decried the assault on Kirk in a put up on social media.
“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones,” he stated in a put up shared to X.
Obama calls Kirk’s killing an act of “despicable violence”
Former President Barack Obama condemned the capturing, calling it “despicable violence” in a put up on X.
“We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,” Obama stated. “Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.”
Bush says “violence and vitriol must be purged from the public square”
In a press release, former President George W. Bush stated, “Today, a young man was murdered in cold blood while expressing his political views. It happened on a college campus, where the open exchange of opposing ideas should be sacrosanct.”
“Violence and vitriol must be purged from the public square. Members of other political parties are not our enemies; they are our fellow citizens. May God bless Charlie Kirk and his family, and may God guide America toward civility,” he stated.
Invoice Clinton requires “serious introspection”
Former President Invoice Clinton stated in a social media put up that he was “saddened and angered” by the capturing.
“I hope we all go through some serious introspection and redouble our efforts to engage in debate passionately, yet peacefully,” he stated.
Melania Trump mourns Kirk, saying now, his kids will probably be raised “with stories instead of memories”
First girl Melania Trump imagined what the lack of Kirk will imply to his kids as they develop up.
“Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed,” she stated in a put up on X.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox “heartbroken” over Kirk’s dying, vows justice will probably be served
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, stated that he and his spouse are “heartbroken” about Kirk’s dying, and stated they’re praying for the conservative activist’s spouse and two kids.
“I just got off the phone with President Trump. Working with the FBI and Utah law enforcement, we will bring to justice the individual responsible for this tragedy,” he wrote in a social media put up on X.
Sen. Mike Lee praises Kirk’s “boundless energy and great love for his country”
“Whether you agree with him or not, you have to respect his boundless energy, his commitment to making the world a better place,” Lee additionally stated.
In a put up on X, Lee known as Kirk an “American patriot, an inspiration to countless young people to stand up and defend the timeless truths that make our country great.”
He condemned Kirk’s homicide, writing on X that it was “a cowardly act of violence, an attack on champions of freedom like Charlie, the students who gathered for civil debate, and all Americans who peacefully strive to save our nation.”
“The terrorists will not win,” he continued. “Charlie will. Please join me in praying for his wife Erika and their children. May justice be swift.”
Home Speaker Mike Johnson says Kirk will probably be “sorely missed”
Home Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, advised reporters that Kirk was “a close friend” and “confidant.”
“He will be sorely missed,” he stated. “And we need every political leader to decry the violence and do it loudly.”
Eric Trump says Trump properties will fly flags at half-staff
Eric Trump described Kirk as a “dear friend” to the complete Trump household. He stated all Trump properties would fly their flags at half-staff to honor him.
Donald Trump Jr.: “I love you brother”
Donald Trump Jr, who was shut with Kirk, wrote on social media: “I love you brother. You gave so many people the courage to speak up and we will not ever be silenced.”
“There is no question that Charlie’s work and his voice helped my father win the presidency,” Trump Jr. wrote in a prolonged follow-up put up. “He changed the direction of this nation…I know Charlie’s legacy doesn’t end here. He poured into millions of young people who will carry forward the torch he lit. He built something that will outlast him, because it was grounded in faith, in truth, and in courage. And as his friend, I will never forget him. I’ll honor him by loving boldly, speaking truth without fear, and continuing his spirit of courage. His fight lives on in all of us who loved him. This is an unimaginable loss.”
Gabby Giffords “horrified” to listen to of Kirk’s capturing
Gabby Giffords, a former U.S. congresswoman from Arizona who suffered a critical mind damage when she was shot in 2011, stated in a put up on X, “I’m horrified to hear that Charlie Kirk was shot at an event in Utah. Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence.”
Rep. Steve Scalise calls capturing a “political assassination”
4 different folks have been injured within the 2017 assault: two Capitol Law enforcement officials and two former congressional staffers.
Scalise referred to Kirk’s dying as a “political assassination.”
“There are some people that think that political violence is a way to shut other people down. That is not what America is, and it can’t ever become that,” Scalise stated in response to Kirk’s capturing.
Home Oversight Chairman James Comer, Republican of Kentucky, stated capturing was “awful”
GOP Home Oversight Chairman James Comer of Kentucky stated he watched the video of the capturing and stated it was “awful.”
GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina: Kirk meant so much to “the right to speak freely and share your beliefs”
“He means a lot, and he means a lot, not just to the conservative movement and to the, and to that aspect of our culture, but again, the right to speak freely and share your beliefs and be safe in our country, and it’s just so unfortunate. It’s unfortunate when anybody has violence perpetrated on them, whether you’re liberal or conservative. It’s just wrong.”
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia: “There really aren’t words”
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia stated of Kirk’s capturing, “There really aren’t words,” and advised reporters that it’s going to “be hard for anybody to fill his shoes.”
“Charlie Kirk leaves a huge legacy,” she stated.
GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas suggests Kirk’s killing “is going to be one of those things that, you know, changes some things”
Far proper Republican Chip Roy stated of Kirk, “This is a guy that you can disagree with him — I disagreed with him on most things.” However Roy admired that “he was trying to open up dialog and engage in civil discourse across college campus, appeal even those that disagree with them.”
Roy steered that Kirk’s homicide, “is going to be one of those things that you know changes some things.”
“I haven’t quite yet figured out how or what, but you know, it’s, you know, this one, this one hits,” he advised reporters on the Capitol.
“We should be able to speak freely and speak with passion and regard about what we believe, without it coming to that. That’s the thing … we’re here for something bigger and greater than all of ourselves,” Charlie lived it, tweeted out three days in the past about his religion in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, so, I do know the place he’s.”
He blamed “a country that’s turning its back on our collective faith as a nation,” saying that “this is why we’re seeing a breakdown and our ability to band together. We got to do something about that.”
GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna blames Democrats
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, blamed Democrats for Kirk’s capturing. “They did cause this — that type of rhetoric. You calling people fascists? You basically saying that we’re Nazis, taking away people’s rights. Charlie Kirk was literally murdered,” she advised reporters. Legislation enforcement doesn’t have a suspect in custody.
Nancy Pelosi calls capturing “reprehensible”
Home Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, condemned the capturing in a put up on X, calling it “reprehensible.”
“Political violence has absolutely no place in our nation,” she stated, including People ought to “hold the entire UVU community in our hearts as they endure the trauma of this gun violence.”
Pelosi, whose husband Paul Pelosi was bludgeoned with a hammer by a person who broke into Pelosi’s San Francisco residence in 2022, has incessantly condemned political violence.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls on People to “engage with each other”
Patrick Maguire and
Jaala Brown
contributed to this report.
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