Charlie Kirk, the right-wing podcast host and activist, was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. Videos of his killing were widely circulated, showing Kirk being struck in the neck by a single bullet. Kirk, 31, was the founder of the influential right-wing youth advocacy group, Turning Point USA (Turning Point). He was incredibly influential in the Trump Administration’s first term, reportedly visiting the White House “about 100 times” to discuss staffing and policy (NYT). With his platform, Kirk promoted polarizing ideas, such as the Great Replacement Theory, the idea that non-white immigrants would replace white Americans, and suggested that Jewish people were behind it. This, along with other comments, caused backlash within the conservative community, with the founder of conservative magazine The Federalist, Ben Domenech, writing, “If Charlie Kirk remains the head of TPUSA, the right has an anti-Semite problem that will follow them into the coming elections” (NYT). Despite this backlash, Turning Point USA continued to expand, being partially credited for the massive increase in youth votes for Donald Trump, with President Trump winning over 45% of the youth vote nationally (NYT). Kirk was also known for his pugnacious debating style, frequently challenging college students to “prove him wrong” (NYT). He is survived by his wife, Erika Kirk, née Frantzve, and their two children.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/us/politics/charlie-kirk-dead.html
