Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump, has died after being shot while hosting an event in Utah on Wednesday.
Video posted to social media appeared to show the 31-year-old Kirk, who was visiting Utah Valley University for his “American Comeback” tour, being struck in the neck. Hours after the shooting, authorities said that a person of interest was being questioned. The governor of Utah called it a “political assassination” during a press conference.
Trump called Kirk “legendary” and said “no one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”
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Kirk was the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization that has become a national juggernaut on the right. He was one of the leading voices of the MAGA movement, and hosts a popular political podcast.
Kirk played a key role in helping propel Trump to a win in the 2024 election: TPUSA launched a “Chase the Vote” effort focused on infrequent voters in certain key states. While Kirk held no formal role inside the Trump administration, he was seen as a key ally with close ties to the president and high-level officials. During the Trump transition, Kirk helped vet potential appointees, and his organization has helped the Republican Party grow in popularity among younger voters.
