President Donald Trump has delivered a sombre address from the Oval Office following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, describing the incident as a “dark moment for America” and blaming the “radical Left” for fostering an environment of political violence.
In a four-minute video posted to his Truth Social platform, the President expressed grief and outrage at the killing, which occurred earlier in the day on a university campus in Utah. Kirk, aged 31, was shot in the neck while speaking to students as part of his “American Comeback Tour”. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA was a prominent ally of President Trump and played a significant role in galvanising support among young voters during Trump’s return to the White House in January.
“Charlie was a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loved so much, the United States of America,” said Trump. “He fought for liberty, democracy, justice and the American people. He’s a martyr for truth and freedom.”
Authorities have yet to identify the perpetrator. FBI Director Kash Patel stated on social media that a person of interest had been taken into custody but was later released following interrogation. The investigation remains ongoing.
In his address, President Trump criticised what he described as the “demonisation” of conservative figures by left-wing commentators and politicians, claiming such rhetoric had contributed directly to acts of violence.
“It’s long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonising those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible,” he said.
The President cited several incidents as evidence of escalating political violence, including the 2024 assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, attacks on ICE agents, the 2017 shooting of then-House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
“For years, those on the radical Left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” Trump continued. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”
Trump pledged that his administration would pursue all individuals and organisations involved in Kirk’s killing and other politically motivated violence. “We will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity,” he said, “including the organisations that fund it and support it, as well as those who go after our judges, law enforcement officials, and everyone else who brings order to our country.”
Concluding his remarks, the President paid tribute to Kirk’s legacy: “Charlie was the best of America, and the monster who attacked him was attacking our whole country. An assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed. Together, we will ensure that his voice, his message and his legacy will live on for countless generations to come.”
