On Wednesday evening, Donald Trump addressed the nation concerning the passing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who had been killed at a Utah campus event mere hours before.
In a video address, the President stated that ‘Charlie inspired millions, and tonight, all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror.’ He further remarked, ‘This is a dark moment for America,’ seemingly attributing the shooting, alongside other acts described as ‘terrorism’ (including and ‘attacks on ICE agents’), to political discourse that ‘demonizes those with whom you disagree.’
Initially, on Truth Social, following the shooting, Trump had called for prayers for Kirk, describing him as a “great guy from top to bottom.” He subsequently posted: “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. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
Additionally, Trump mandated that flags across the U.S. be flown at half-mast until Sunday evening.
Read Trump’s full speech on Charlie Kirk’s death
In his speech, Trump expressed profound grief and anger over what he termed the ‘heinous assassination’ of Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus. He emphasized that Kirk had ‘inspired millions,’ leading to ‘shock and horror’ among those who knew and loved him. Trump hailed Kirk as a patriot dedicated to open debate and his country, the United States, advocating for ‘liberty, democracy, justice, and the American people.’ He proclaimed Kirk a ‘martyr for truth and freedom,’ asserting his unparalleled respect among the youth.
He also noted Kirk’s ‘deep, deep faith,’ expressing solace in the belief that he is now ‘at peace with God in heaven.’
Prayers were extended to Kirk’s wife, Erika, their two young children, and his extended family, whom he cherished above all else. Trump invoked God’s protection for them during this ‘terrible hour of heartache and pain.’
Declaring ‘This is a dark moment for America,’ Trump described Kirk as having journeyed nationwide, enthusiastically participating in good-faith discussions. He asserted that Kirk’s objective was to involve young people in politics, a feat he accomplished ‘better than anybody ever,’ by sharing his patriotism and promoting ‘common sense.’ Trump added that Kirk championed his beliefs on campuses across the country ‘with courage, logic, humor, and grace.’ He then stated it was ‘long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible.’
Trump claimed that ‘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 asserted that ‘this kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.’
He pledged that his administration ‘will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence,’ including funding and supporting organizations, alongside those who target ‘our judges, law enforcement officials, and everyone else who brings order to our country.’ Trump cited various incidents, from ‘the attack on my life in Butler, Pennsylvania last year, which killed a husband and father,’ to ‘attacks on ICE agents,’ ‘the vicious murder of a healthcare executive in the streets of New York,’ and ‘the shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and three others,’ arguing that ‘radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives.’ He concluded by urging all Americans ‘to commit themselves to the American values for which Charlie Kirk lived and died: the values of free speech, citizenship, the rule of law, and the patriotic devotion and love of God.’
Kirk, he asserted, ‘was the best of America,’ and his assailant ‘was attacking our whole country.’ Trump stated that ‘an assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed,’ promising that ‘together we will ensure that his voice, his message, and his legacy will live on for countless generations to come.’
He concluded that ‘today, because of this heinous act, Charlie’s voice has become bigger and grander than ever before—and it’s not even close.’
The speech ended with blessings: ‘May God bless his memory. May God watch over his family. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank you.’
