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 attraction to younger Individuals and mourned him in a social media submit.
“The Nice, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is useless. Nobody understood or had the Coronary heart of the Youth in the US of America higher than Charlie. He was beloved and admired by ALL, particularly me, and now, he’s not with us,” Mr. Trump wrote on Reality 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, these on the novel left have in contrast fantastic Individuals like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” he mentioned in a video posted to Reality Social. “This sort of rhetoric is immediately accountable for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our nation at the moment, and it should cease proper now.”
Democratic and Republican politicians alike condemned Kirk’s homicide, though amongst some in Congress, there have been disagreements about observe his loss of life on the Home ground. Speaker Mike Johnson tried to carry a second of silence for Kirk. Then, in keeping with the Home gallery, GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado requested for some extent of order — she reshared an X submit that mentioned 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 seemed to be Democrats responded. One yelled, “There was only a capturing in Colorado!” One other mentioned “Go some gun legal guidelines!” Johnson repeatedly known as for order.
In an look on Fox Information, Johnson defined what had occurred. “A movement was made on the ground to have a vocal prayer, and it was an argument,” he mentioned, including, “You recognize, that is the place our politics are within the nation proper now. We’ve obtained to show the warmth down a little bit bit. We obtained to have civil discourse.”
“The nice tragic irony about this, one of many tragedies, is that Charlie represented that, the perfect of it,” Johnson continued. “He is the man that was the champion out on the entrance traces having the controversy, however he he beloved the folks that disagreed with him …. He beloved it, and he beloved the controversy.”
“That is what’s so essential for us to recollect,” Johnson mentioned. “We should not regard each other as enemies. We’re fellow Individuals, and we should always have vigorous debate, nevertheless it can’t result in political violence. It is simply an excessive amount of.”
Michael Ho Wai Lee/SOPA Photos/LightRocket by way of Getty Photos
Biden says there’s “no place in our nation for this type of violence”
Former President Joe Biden decried the assault on Kirk in a submit on social media.
“There is no such thing as a place in our nation for this type of violence. It should finish now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s household and family members,” he mentioned in a submit 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 submit on X.
“We do not but know what motivated the one who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, however this type of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,” Obama mentioned. “Michelle and I will likely be praying for Charlie’s household tonight, particularly his spouse Erika and their two younger kids.”
Bush says “violence and vitriol have to be purged from the general public sq.”
In an announcement, former President George W. Bush mentioned, “At this time, a younger man was murdered in chilly blood whereas expressing his political opinions. It occurred on a school campus, the place the open alternate of opposing concepts needs to be sacrosanct.”
“Violence and vitriol have to be purged from the general public sq.. Members of different political events usually are not our enemies; they’re our fellow residents. Could God bless Charlie Kirk and his household, and will God information America towards civility,” he mentioned.
Invoice Clinton requires “critical introspection”
Former President Invoice Clinton mentioned in a social media submit that he was “saddened and angered” by the capturing.
“I hope all of us undergo some critical introspection and redouble our efforts to have interaction in debate passionately, but peacefully,” he mentioned.
Melania Trump mourns Kirk, saying now, his kids will likely be raised “with tales as a substitute of recollections”
First girl Melania Trump imagined what the lack of Kirk will imply to his kids as they develop up.
“Charlie’s kids will likely be raised with tales as a substitute of recollections, pictures as a substitute of laughter, and silence the place their father’s voice ought to have echoed,” she mentioned in a submit on X.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox “heartbroken” over Kirk’s loss of life, vows justice will likely be served
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, mentioned that he and his spouse are “heartbroken” about Kirk’s loss of life, and mentioned they’re praying for the conservative activist’s spouse and two kids.
“I simply obtained off the telephone with President Trump. Working with the FBI and Utah regulation enforcement, we’ll deliver to justice the person accountable for this tragedy,” he wrote in a social media submit on X.
Sen. Mike Lee praises Kirk’s “boundless vitality and nice love for his nation”
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah informed CBS Information he spoke with Mr. Trump about Kirk, and mentioned the president informed him, “‘I am certain they will keep after him,'” referring to the capturing suspect, and “‘they should catch this man.'”
“Whether or not you agree with him or not, you must respect his boundless vitality, his dedication to creating the world a greater place,” Lee additionally mentioned.
In a submit on X, Lee known as Kirk an “American patriot, an inspiration to numerous younger folks to face up and defend the timeless truths that make our nation nice.”
He condemned Kirk’s homicide, writing on X that it was “a cowardly act of violence, an assault on champions of freedom like Charlie, the scholars who gathered for civil debate, and all Individuals who peacefully try to save lots of our nation.”
“The terrorists is not going to win,” he continued. “Charlie will. Please be part of me in praying for his spouse Erika and their kids. Could justice be swift.”
Home Speaker Mike Johnson says Kirk will likely be “sorely missed”
Home Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, informed reporters that Kirk was “a detailed buddy” and “confidant.”
“He will likely be sorely missed,” he mentioned. “And we’d like each political chief 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 “pricey buddy” to all the Trump household. He mentioned all Trump properties would fly their flags at half-staff to honor him.
Donald Trump Jr.: “I really like you brother”
Donald Trump Jr, who was shut with Kirk, wrote on social media: “I really like you brother. You gave so many individuals the braveness to talk up and we is not going to ever be silenced.”
“There is no such thing as a query that Charlie’s work and his voice helped my father win the presidency,” Trump Jr. wrote in a prolonged follow-up submit. “He modified the path of this nation…I do know Charlie’s legacy would not finish right here. He poured into tens of millions of younger individuals who will carry ahead the torch he lit. He constructed one thing that may outlast him, as a result of it was grounded in religion, in fact, and in braveness. And as his buddy, I’ll always remember him. I will honor him by loving boldly, talking reality with out worry, and persevering with his spirit of braveness. His combat lives on in all of us who beloved him. That 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, mentioned in a submit on X, “I am horrified to listen to that Charlie Kirk was shot at an occasion in Utah. Democratic societies will all the time have political disagreements, however we must not ever enable America to turn into a rustic that confronts these disagreements with violence.”
Rep. Steve Scalise calls capturing a “political assassination”
Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana informed Fox Information that Kirk’s loss of life is “bringing again a whole lot of feelings” from 2017, when a gunman shot Scalise whereas he and different GOP lawmakers practiced for the annual congressional baseball sport in Virginia.
4 different folks had been injured within the 2017 assault: two Capitol Cops and two former congressional staffers.
Scalise referred to Kirk’s loss of life as a “political assassination.”
“There are some folks that assume that political violence is a strategy to shut different folks down. That isn’t what America is, and it may possibly’t ever turn into that,” Scalise mentioned in response to Kirk’s capturing.
Home Oversight Chairman James Comer, Republican of Kentucky, mentioned capturing was “terrible”
GOP Home Oversight Chairman James Comer of Kentucky mentioned he watched the video of the capturing and mentioned it was “terrible.”
“It is simply, it is simply horrible. I imply, I feel we have been saying for months now the political temperature is just too excessive in America, and we have to tone it again,” Comer informed CBS Information. “And political violence is on the rise. And, you already know, I do know that almost all of my colleagues and myself included are getting much more threatening calls, and it is simply, it is a horrible setting from time to time. I simply really feel terrible for Charlie Kirk and his younger household.”
GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina: Kirk meant lots to “the appropriate to talk freely and share your beliefs”
Rep. Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina, informed CBS Information on the Capitol that “there isn’t any room for violence, and it is horrible. She mentioned she’s inspired by the bipartisan response to the assault on Kirk and famous the Home Oversight Committee had paused for a second of prayer for Kirk.
Foxx informed CBS Information that Kirk represented “a class of individuals in our tradition that is essential,” and famous he was “very happy with the truth that he would not have a school diploma.”
“He means lots, and he means lots, not simply to the conservative motion and to the, and to that facet of our tradition, however once more, the appropriate to talk freely and share your beliefs and be secure in our nation, and it is simply so unlucky. It is unlucky when anyone has violence perpetrated on them, whether or not you are liberal or conservative. It is simply incorrect.”
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia: “There actually aren’t phrases”
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia mentioned of Kirk’s capturing, “There actually aren’t phrases,” and informed reporters that it’ll “be arduous for anyone to fill his footwear.”
“Charlie Kirk leaves an enormous legacy,” she mentioned.
GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas suggests Kirk’s killing “goes to be a kind of issues that, you already know, modifications some issues”
Far proper Republican Chip Roy mentioned of Kirk, “This can be a man that you would be able to disagree with him — I disagreed with him on most issues.” However Roy admired that “he was attempting to open up dialog and have interaction in civil discourse throughout school campus, attraction even those who disagree with them.”
Roy instructed that Kirk’s homicide, “goes to be a kind of issues that you already know modifications some issues.”
“I have not fairly but discovered how or what, however you already know, it is, you already know, this one, this one hits,” he informed reporters on the Capitol.
“We should always be capable of communicate freely and communicate with ardour and regard about what we imagine, with out it coming to that. That is the factor … we’re right here for one thing greater and larger 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 rustic that is turning its again on our collective religion as a nation,” saying that “that is why we’re seeing a breakdown and our capacity to band collectively. We obtained to do one thing about that.”
GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna blames Democrats
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, blamed Democrats for Kirk’s capturing. “They did trigger this — that sort of rhetoric. You calling folks fascists? You principally saying that we’re Nazis, taking away folks’s rights. Charlie Kirk was actually murdered,” she informed reporters. Legislation enforcement doesn’t have a suspect in custody.
Raskin says it “would not assist” accountable violence on political events or factions
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland mentioned it “would not assist” to be “blaming violence like this on political events or political factions.”
“I actually resisted that once I heard folks doing that after the Minnesota killings or after Paul Pelosi was attacked,” Raskin continued, referring to the murders earlier this yr of a Democratic Minnesota legislator and her husband and the brutal hammer assault on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“There isn’t any cause for us to get into that the violence towards political leaders is unacceptable in a free, democratic society, and it’s a menace to democracy. So all of us must denounce it. All of us must reject it, and we should always all resist the temptation simply to level fingers that take us nowhere,” Raskin mentioned. “We needs to be rejecting gun violence and political violence in all of their kinds, no matter who the goal is.”
Nancy Pelosi calls capturing “reprehensible”
Home Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, condemned the capturing in a submit on X, calling it “reprehensible.”
“Political violence has completely no place in our nation,” she mentioned, including Individuals ought to “maintain all the UVU group 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 dwelling in 2022, has ceaselessly condemned political violence.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls on Individuals to “interact with one another”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who hosted Kirk on his podcast earlier this yr, wrote on social media that Kirk’s killing is “a reminder of how essential it’s for all of us, throughout the political spectrum, to foster real discourse on points that deeply have an effect on us all with out resorting to political violence.”
“One of the best ways to honor Charlie’s reminiscence is to proceed his work: interact with one another, throughout ideology, via spirited discourse. In a democracy, concepts are examined via phrases and good-faith debate — by no means via violence,” Newsom mentioned. “Trustworthy disagreement makes us stronger; violence solely drives us additional aside and corrodes the values on the coronary heart of this nation.”
Patrick Maguire and
contributed to this report.
