President Trump has confirmed that the Islamophobic, pro-Israel American commentator Charlie Kirk has died after being shot at a university event in Utah.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “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!”
Footage posted on social media showed Kirk sitting under a canopy addressing thousands of students at Utah Valley University when a gunshot rang out, Kirk recoiled, and students began fleeing en masse.
A separate video taken from close to where Kirk was speaking showed a bullet striking Kirk’s neck, followed by a sudden, massive blood loss.
A search for the suspect is still ongoing and the police have not yet declared the scene safe for the public.
Utah Valley University (UVU) released a statement asking those “still on campus to secure in place until police officers can safely escort them off campus.”
UVU police said they are currently going “building to building” to conduct the evacuation.
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Who was Charlie Kirk?
Kirk, 31, was a prominent media personality best known for founding and leading Turning Point USA, an organisation promoting “conservative values” on high school and college campuses.
An evangelical Christian, he became a prominent figure in the American right, particularly within the MAGA movement, through his advocacy for limited government, free markets and traditional values, as well as his vocal support for President Trump.
Kirk frequently expressed views on Islam and Muslims that were widely criticised as Islamophobic.
His rhetoric framed Islam as a monolithic political ideology incompatible with Western values, emphasising themes of cultural threat, conquest and security risks.
For example, in a May 2025 podcast episode, he stated: “Islam is not compatible with the West,” describing it as a “tyrannical” system that lacks individual liberties.
He called for the abolition of Shariah Law in every U.S. state, claiming it poses a direct threat to American governance.
On X, he posted statements like: “Islam has conquest values. They seek to take over land and territory, and Europe is now a conquered continent,” suggesting that Muslim immigration leads to cultural erosion.
Kirk repeatedly warned of an “Islamic takeover” of Western societies, particularly in the U.S. and Europe.
After Muslim candidate Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor in 2025, Kirk tweeted, “24 years ago a group of Muslims killed 2,753 people on 9/11. Now a Muslim Socialist is on pace to run New York City,” linking Mamdani’s candidacy to fears of Islamic influence.
He added: “It’s not Islamophobia to notice that Muslims want to import values into the West that seek to destabilize our civilization.”
Similarly, he targeted Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh, accusing him of participating in an “Islamic takeover” and claiming: “Muslims are commanded to take over the government in the land they live.”
Kirk rejected the label of Islamophobia, framing his comments as critiques of “Islamism” or radical ideologies rather than Muslims as individuals. He argued that his concerns were rooted in national security, cultural preservation, and opposition to left-wing alliances with what he sees as anti-Western ideologies.
Christian Zionist
Kirk was also a vocal and consistent supporter of Israel throughout his career.
His views aligned with evangelical Christian Zionism, emphasising Israel’s right to exist, self-defence and biblical significance, while portraying Palestinians and groups like Hamas as existential threats.
Kirk long championed Israel as a key U.S. ally and a “moral beacon” in the Middle East. He visited Israel in 2019 on a fact-finding tour, which he described as “eye-opening,” claiming it exposed media biases against the country.
He repeatedly called Israel “special” and argued that it cannot survive under Muslim rule due to historical and ideological incompatibilities.
In debates and podcasts, Kirk highlighted Israel’s technological and military innovations, condemned antisemitism, and said support for Israel was essential to U.S. interests.
He hosted discussions arguing that Israel “was right all along” in its security measures, dismissing anti-Israel narratives as lies.
On the other hand, Kirk’s commentary on Palestinians was critical and generalised, portraying them as unwilling to coexist with Israel and complicit in violence through support for Hamas or rejection of peace offers.
He argued that Palestinian grievances were exaggerated by media and activists, and dismissed claims of Israeli occupation or settler colonialism as ahistorical.
Kirk’s views the Gaza conflict — particularly post-October 7, 2023 — justified Israel’s response to “Hamas terrorism,” rejecting accusations of genocide, starvation or disproportionate force.
He rubbished claims of famine in Gaza, sharing videos of aid trucks and arguing that Hamas and the UN hinder distribution. In July 2025, he posted: “No, Israel is not starving Gazans.”
