I am full of sorrow and anger. . . Charlie was a patriot who dedicated his life to free debate and the country he loved so much.
In a four-minute video post on social media, a visibly moved President Trump confirms that Kirk was murdered when he spoke at a university in Utah. He calls Kirk a "truth and freedom martyr". The murder is also confirmed by Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk co-founded.
Did not celebrate Obama
With Charlie Kirk, a voice that is important for conservative America and who was part of Donald Trump's "extended family", according to the media, falls silent. With millions of followers on X and Tiktok, as well as his own podcast The Charlie Kirk Show, he had a unique sense of what engages right-wing people. During last year's election campaign, he mobilized young voters in the swing state of Arizona, which Trump won.
Kirk was born in 1993 and grew up in a suburb of Chicago. When he was 15 years old, he had his political awakening when his home state of Illinois senator, Democrat Barack Obama, was elected president. Kirk did not celebrate Obama's victory, but instead turned to the Tea Party movement.
Charlie Kirk soon became known as the one who advocated for low taxes and challenged liberal academics at school debates. At the age of 18, when he dropped out of college, he and a friend founded Turning Point USA, which is described as a conservative student organization.
Trump's "brother"
Shortly thereafter, he began guesting on the conservative TV channel Fox News and earlier this year, he jumped in as a guest host there, according to Axios. He has also campaigned for Trump and other Republicans, been a frequent guest at the White House, and traveled and worked with Donald Trump Jr., who on X refers to him as "brother".
The Christian father of two, Kirk, was known as a vocal critic of Islam and has been criticized for spreading false information about Covid-19 and election fraud. He often and gladly discussed gun laws. A few years ago, Kirk drew attention by claiming that the US Constitution-protected right to bear arms was "worth" the death of a few people.
It's worth the price that we, unfortunately, have a few shootings every year because we have the (Constitution's) second amendment that protects the rights God gave us, he said in a church in Salt Lake City.
Now he himself has become such a victim.
