Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and ally of former US President Donald Trump, was shot dead while hosting a presentation at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Wednesday
Prominent right-wing activist and ally of Donald Trump, Charlie Kirk, was tragically shot during a presentation at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah on Wednesday.
Footage shared on social media captured the chilling moment when a gunshot echoed through the crowd as the 31 year old was speaking under banners reading “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong”. The incident sparked immediate panic, with terrified students seen fleeing the scene.
Former US President Donald Trump paid his respects to the married father-of-two in a post on Truth Social, writing: “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.”
Kirk’s media company, where he served as executive director, is known for its visits to predominantly liberal universities to engage in debates on controversial political issues. While these discussions often become heated due to the contentious topics, they are typically peaceful.
A well-known radio host and podcaster, Kirk was no stranger to controversy, frequently making provocative statements to those who disagreed with him. His ‘Prove Me Wrong’ videos often featured him in intense debates with students, reports the Mirror.
Here are five of his most polarising anti-Liberal views.
Gun control
America is known for its widespread gun ownership and easier access to firearms compared to most other countries, largely due to the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms.
Kirk was a staunch advocate of the Second Amendment and campaigned tirelessly to safeguard it, despite mass shootings being a regular tragedy across America. In 2023 he declared that the loss of human life was “worth it” to maintain citizens’ rights.
“It’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights… That is a prudent deal, it is rational,” he stated during a visit to the Salt Lake City campus of Awaken Church.
Just moments before his assassination, he was debating shootings and was questioned about how many had been perpetrated by transgender individuals over the past decade. He responded, “too many”, before being asked about the total number of mass shooters in America over the last 10 years.
Seconds later a gunshot echoed and he was seen clutching his neck before falling to the floor.
Transgender rhetoric
Kirk rejected the existence of transgender people, refusing to acknowledge that someone could identify as a different gender from their birth assignment. He claimed that transgender individuals suffered from a “mental illness” and required “brain treatment”.
He declined to use preferred pronouns, declaring, “I will not call a man a woman”. Renowned for citing biblical passages that aligned with his beliefs, he once recited a verse from the Bible during a church address that proclaimed: “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak.”
Moments earlier he had told the congregation he considered “the transgender thing happening in America” to be a “middle finger to God”.
In response to yesterday’s shocking incidents, the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus issued a statement denouncing the killing whilst drawing attention to Kirk’s harmful rhetoric: “We mourn any loss of life to political violence,” it stated. “It is abhorrent and has no place in our country. At the same time, we must recognize that Charlie Kirk spent his career spreading anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric that put many in our community at risk. His words fueled harassment, threats, and fear for queer and transgender people.”
Civil rights
During a 2023 conference Kirk disclosed that he opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1965 which banned discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, and outlawed segregation. The landmark legislation dramatically increased Black voter registration.
“I have a very, very radical view on this, but I can defend it, and I’ve thought about it,” he said. “We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s.”
He argued that the legislation created a “permanent” bureaucracy which championed diversity and inclusion.
He also branded civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr “awful” and declared he was “not a good person”.
Conspiracy theorist
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Kirk frequently posted conspiracy theories across social media platforms. This resulted in a temporary suspension from Twitter for spreading false information.
In March 2020, he employed the term “China virus” whilst debating border security alongside footage of one of his speeches. Trump later adopted this phrase when discussing Covid.
“Now, more than ever, we need the wall,” he posted. “With China Virus spreading across the globe, the US stands a chance if we can control of our borders. President Trump is making it happen.”
Despite Florida residents preparing for a subdued Christmas that year as Covid infections soared dramatically, Turning Point’s year-end celebration proceeded as planned. With approximately 5,000 young attendees expected at the boisterous four-day gathering, it was branded a super-spreader event.
Regarding vaccination, he disseminated false claims and argued that jab mandates and mask-wearing requirements were akin to “medical apartheid”. In February 2024, he controversially claimed that ‘The Great Replacement’, a theory suggesting that undocumented immigrants are infiltrating the US to supplant white Americans, was a “reality” and not just a theory.
This idea has been widely discredited as a conspiracy theory, yet it has found favour among notable far-right politicians and media outlets.
Kirk was known for his contentious remarks
Kirk relished engaging in debates and discussions with the young attendees at his events, often expressing his contentious views. He was frequently caught on tape making highly inflammatory comments, such as “I’m sorry. If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified’,” which he stated during a 2024 podcast.
In another podcast, he proposed that imprisonment could be a solution to the housing crisis in the US. “We do not have enough people in jail in this country,” he declared.
“One of my hopes is to turn the Republican party into a resolutely stronger party on crime,” he continued. “We are not harsh enough on crime in this country… .and this is not just about stopping criminals. If you enforce the law, housing will be cheaper because more of the country will be livable.”
While discussing capital punishment in February of the previous year, he suggested that children should witness executions and that these should be made public. “Death penalties should be public, should be quick, it should be televised. I think at a certain age, it’s an initiation…” he said, adding that the crime rate would decrease if children had seen an execution.
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