President Donald Trump delivered a solemn address from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, expressing grief and outrage over the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University earlier in the day.
“I am filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah,” Trump said in a four-minute, direct-to-camera video. “Charlie inspired millions and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror.”
Calling Kirk “a martyr for truth and freedom,” the president praised his efforts to engage young Americans through debates and campus tours. “This is a dark moment for America,” Trump added.
The president tied Kirk’s killing to a string of recent acts of political violence, including the July shooting attempt on his own life in Butler, Pennsylvania, the December 2024 killing of a United Healthcare executive in New York, and the 2017 attack on House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. He warned that “violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree.”
Trump vowed his administration would respond aggressively, promising to pursue not only individuals responsible for political attacks but also “the organizations 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.”
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Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to students as part of his “American Comeback Tour.” He is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two young children.
