Activists and politicos react to Charlie Kirk assassination

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on Sep 10, 2025

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The shooting of Turning Points USA leader Charlie Kirk drew strong condemnation from the conservative influencer‘s allies and rivals alike.

President Donald Trump broke the news that the 31-year-old organizer succumbed to a gunshot wound shortly after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“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!” the President posted on Truth Social.

Right-wing pundit Nick Fuentes sometimes found himself at odds with Kirk when it came to issues like international affairs, but he was sickened by Wednesday afternoon’s assassination of the 31-year-old organizer on a Utah college campus.

“This feels like a nightmare. One of the most horrific things I’ve ever seen,” Fuentes posted on X. “I feel absolutely gutted and devastated.”

Fuentes called for an end to political violence and prayed for the pundit before news of his death had been confirmed.

Vice President JD Vance posted a photo of himself standing alongside Kirk and Donald Trump Jr.

“Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father,” Vance asked supporters before learning Kirk hadn’t survived the gunshot.

The White House social media accounts also called Kirk a “great guy” while expressed hope for his recovery to no avail.

Kirk was a married dad with two young children.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also condemned the shooting.

“The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form,” he posted on X.

Newsom kicked off the first episode of his “This is Gavin Newsom” podcast by interviewing Kirk in March. Though the Democratic party heavyweight split with Kirk on numerous political issues, he congratulated his guest for “making a damn dent” in U.S. culture.

Influential liberal social media figure Brian Krassenstein wrote that he disagreed with almost everything Kirk represents ideologically and hoped the violence against him wouldn’t be politicized.

“99.999% of Democrats are against this behavior,” he said in a follow-up post on X.

Liberal-leaning horror author Stephen King lent speculation to the attempt on Kirk’s life before anything was known about the shooter.

“The motivation of the man who shot Charlie Kirk isn’t clear (although he’s probably mentally unstable–duh). What is clear is it was another example of American gun violence,” King posted on Threads.

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