Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk (1993–2025) was an American conservative activist and commentator best known as the founder and president of Turning Point USA, a youth-oriented conservative advocacy group. By the time of his death in 2025, he had become one of the most recognizable—and polarizing—figures of the American right. Born in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois, he briefly attended community college before leaving to focus on political organizing. He rose to prominence in his early 20s as a vocal critic of liberal influence on U.S. campuses, portraying higher education as dominated by “left-wing indoctrination.” Under his leadership, Turning Point USA grew into a nationwide organization with strong ties to Republican politics, especially the movement around Donald Trump.
After his death, many across the political spectrum expressed sorrow, respect, and acknowledgement of his commitment to his causes, regardless of whether they agreed with him. Some figures described him as principled or as someone who stood by his views with conviction.
Many noted that Kirk had significant impact on youth political activism, especially among conservatives. His social media presence, campus events, and Turning Point USA made him a prominent voice for younger right-leaning Americans. He was praised for being telegenic and having the ability to connect with people in debates and public speaking even among those who disagreed with him.
Some praise centered around his willingness to speak freely, engage controversial issues, and push back against what he saw as orthodoxy in progressive politics. He was also lauded by people who believe public debate is important and who see Kirk’s approach—direct, sometimes provocative—as energizing for political discourse.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials rushed to eulogise the 31-year-old activist and emphasise his support for Israel. “A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization,” the Israeli prime minister wrote on X. “I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called Kirk an “incredible friend” of Israel. “Charlie represented the Judeo-Christian values that unite Israel and America,” he said in a social media post. “Above all, he was a fearless warrior for truth and freedom. He was murdered for that.”
“The collusion between the global Left and radical Islam is the greatest danger to humanity today,” Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said. “Charlie Kirk saw the danger and warned about it. But the bullets of the despicable murderer struck him.” The push to portray Kirk as a fallen champion of Israel as much as of the US conservative movement came as many influential right-wing commentators had been increasingly critical of Washington’s unconditional support for its Middle East ally.
But used anti-Semitic tropes, from claims of Jewish “control” over cultural life to blaming “Jewish donors” for fuelling social and political ills. Shortly after Israel began its attack in Gaza in October 2023, Kirk claimed that Jewish philanthropy funding American universities was effectively “subsidising your own demise by supporting institutions that breed anti-Semites and endorse genocidal killers” — a framing that shifted blame onto Jewish donors themselves. Kirk alleged that Jews dominated universities, nonprofits and Hollywood alike.
On the Charlie Kirk Show November 16, 2023, while defending billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who had endorsed an explicitly anti-Semitic post, Kirk said “Jewish communities have been pushing the exact kind of hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them,” and said that “the philosophical foundation of anti-whiteness has been largely financed by Jewish donors in the country.”
Kirk argued that radical or liberal cultural and political institutions are primarily funded by Jewish donors, thereby reviving the trope of wealthy Jews manipulating politics and culture. ”The number one funding mechanism of radical, open border, neoliberal, quasi-Marxist policies, cultural institutions, and nonprofits" is “Jewish donors.” Kirk linked Jewish financial support to the spread of so-called “Cultural Marxist ideas” — a narrative that has long been associated with anti-Semitic portrayals of Jews as the instigators of societal decay.
Kirk argued that accusations of anti-Semitism were increasingly being weaponised to restrict debate. “Once ‘antisemitism’ becomes valid grounds to censor or even imprison somebody, there will be frantic efforts to label all kinds of speech as antisemitic — the same way the left labeled all kinds of statements as ‘racist’ to justify silencing their opposition,” he said. “Not only that, but all of this won’t even work.”
He was often criticized by opponents for promoting conspiracy theories and inflammatory rhetoric on race, gender, and religion. While he claimed to champion free speech, critics argued his style often demonizes opponents and uses provocative rhetoric. He held conservative/religious views. He will be remembered not for testifying to the gospel itself but for demeaning people who didn’t share his political views. He believed in Christian nationalism / religion in public life, that the U.S. should more explicitly reflect Christian values. He argued that the separation of church and state was being undermined or was “fabricated” in some of his later speeches. He believed abortion is murder and should be illegal, with very limited exceptions. He compared abortion to the Holocaust.
Some of his remarks about Black Americans have drawn criticism for being racially insensitive or worse (“prowling Blacks” etc.). He used racial rhetoric to demean African American women: “Black women like Joy Reid, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Shiela Jackson Lee and Michelle Obama … used affirmative action because they do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. … So they had to steal a white person’s slot.”
Charlie Kirk’s last words mocked transgender people and denied the reality of mass shootings in America.He regularly attacked the LGBTQ community, saying, “God’s perfect law … (says gay people) shall be stoned to death.” He claimed the Civil Rights Act was “a huge mistake” and called Martin Luther King Jr. “an awful person.” He denied that there are more than two genders, criticized gender fluidity and transgender rights (e.g. opposed gender-affirming care). See statements like: “if you're Jeff and think you're Jill …” and other remarks about “gender fluidity” being harmful.
He promoted ideas tied to what is often called the “Great Replacement” theory — fears that demographic change (including via immigration) threatens white Americans. He was strongly critical of current immigration policy, especially illegal immigration, and often linked immigration to cultural and demographic change. He questioned concepts like “white privilege.”
Kirk – who regularly bashed Islam and Muslims – promoted the unfounded conspiracy theory that Islam and the political left are working together to undermine the US and Europe. “Islam is the sword the left is using to slit the throat of America,” he wrote in a social media post a day before he was shot.
In April 2025, Charlie Kirk posted on X "“The left is being whipped into a violent frenzy. Any setback, whether losing an election or losing a court case, justifies a maximally violent response,” Kirk said. “This is the natural outgrowth of left-wing protest culture tolerating violence and mayhem for years on end. The cowardice of local prosecutors and school officials have turned the left into a ticking time bomb.” He saw universities as dominated by leftist ideology, suppressing dissent. He criticized “DEI” (diversity, equity, inclusion) programs, “cultural Marxism,” and progressive social norms. He often framed college as overpriced, ideologically slanted, and that young conservatives are being “brainwashed.” He spread or supported some misinformation/conspiracy theories on COVID-19 and public health. For example, unverified claims about treatments; criticism of public health measures; calling some measures “plots.” “The perverse gift of the Chinese coronavirus is that it has given Americans an up close and personal look at the horrors of big government — and, by extension, socialism.”
He repeated or promoted claims of election fraud in 2020 and was aligned with the MAGA wing of the Republican Party. On July 24, 2023 Kirk said "Joe Biden is a bumbling dementia filled Alzheimer's corrupt tyrant who should honestly be put in prison and/or given the death penalty for his crimes against America."
Charlie Kirk despised Ukrainians and did everything he could to weaken Ukraine's ability to defend itself by spreading russian propaganda in USA.
Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, during a speaking event in Orem, Utah. He was referred to by some as a “martyr” by his supporters and various commentators. Following his death, some Christian leaders and supporters are referring to him as a martyr — i.e. someone who died as a witness to their Christian faith or religious values. The definition the Catholic Church uses when determining if a person is a martyr is strict. If they died tragically for some other reason the church grieves their death, but they are not necessarily deemed a martyr. Conditiones canonicae pro martyribus. the Catholic Church's criteria for recognizing a martyr.
- In Odium Fidei - The individual must have been killed because of the persecutor's hatred for the Christian faith.
- Voluntaria mortis perpessio - The candidate must have accepted their suffering and death for the love of Christ, rather than rejecting their faith to save their life.
- Testimonium caritatis fortis: "A witness of heroic charity." In some cases, the category of martyrdom has been expanded to include death resulting from an act of heroic charity performed out of love for others.
Fama Martyrii - Before the official process begins, there must be a widespread reputation of holiness or martyrdom among the faithful. This collective opinion forms the initial basis for the Church's investigation into the candidate's life and death. - The person must be a baptized Catholic (or, in rare cases, a catechumen via “baptism of blood”). Heretics or schismatics are excluded, as martyrdom requires fidelity to the full truth of the Catholic faith.
If the evidence is deemed sufficient, the Pope may authorize the promulgation of a decree affirming the candidate's martyrdom, granting them the title of "Venerable". Beatification: Unlike other sainthood causes, martyrs can be immediately beatified and named "Blessed" without the need for a verified miracle. A separate miracle that occurred after the beatification is typically required for canonization, though the Pope has the authority to waive this requirement. Charlie was an Evangelical Protestant. Charlie was not a Catholic, but reports from various Catholic sources claim he was open to the Catholic religion and probably on the path to Rome. In one of his own final videos, he spoke to the importance — contra his fellow Protestants — of honoring the Virgin Mary.
The bullet that killed Charlie Kirk was engraved with the phrase “notices bulges owo what’s this”—a furry and anime meme that has circulated online for a decade, generally meant as a joke about something unexpected. Three other unfired casings were recovered: “hey fascist! Catch! ? ? ???,” a reference to the Helldivers 2 video game code used to drop the 500kg bomb; “O bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao,” the Italian anti-fascist marching song; and “If you read this you are gay lmao,” a trolling insult common in meme subcultures.
Moments before Robinson allegedly shot Kirk, an audience member asked Kirk: "Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?" Kirk replied: "Too many." Kirk was then asked: "Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?" Kirk replied: "Counting or not counting gang violence?" Kirk was then assassinated.
Authorities were investigating whether Tyler Robinson, suspected of killing Charlie Kirk, believed Kirk's views on gender identity were "hateful" to people like Robinson's transgender roommate, six sources familiar with the case told Axios. The apartment Robinson and his partner shared is in the same southern Utah St.George community where Robinson's parents live. It is approximately four hours away from Utah Valley University, where Robinson allegedly shot Kirk. Bureau officials confirmed that Tyler Robinson, 22, was in a "romantic relationship" with the unnamed person, who is a male transitioning to a female, and that they shared an apartment in Saint George, Utah. Those FBI officials told Fox News Digital that Robinson's partner was fully cooperating with the FBI's investigation. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) confirmed 14 September 2025 on ABC News' "This Week" that Robinson lived with a romantic partner who was undergoing a gender transition.
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