Charlie Kirk (31), a conservative activist and founder of the pro-Trump organization Turning Point USA, was assassinated last night by a gunman during a public event at a university in Utah.
Kirk, one of the most prominent influencers and central organizers of young people within the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, was close to President Trump and is credited by some as having played a critical role in Trump’s success among young voters in the last elections. Through his online platforms and public appearances, Kirk promoted conservative positions on issues such as immigration, gender relations, gender identity, and the right to bear arms. He was also a leading participant in public debates on conservative television and on campuses across the United States.
In the Israeli context, Kirk was known as an outspoken supporter of Israel, while also emphasizing his opposition to US military involvement against Iran.
Following the assassination, figures on the American right—including Trump himself—were quick to assign responsibility to the American left and the incitement it allegedly fosters, even before the identity or motives of the shooter, who has not yet been apprehended, became known. Trump pledged to use his authority to bring to justice anyone he identifies as responsible for Kirk’s death. Other prominent right-wing figures, such as Elon Musk and the pro-Trump influencer Lara Loomer, also blamed the left and the Democratic Party, employing aggressive rhetoric. Senior Democratic Party leaders, in contrast, condemned the killing and warned against any resort to violence.
Although Kirk did not hold an official government position, his assassination has the potential to resonate for a long time and could accelerate the violence and polarization already characteristic of American politics. Only recently, a right-wing Christian man fatally shot Democratic legislators in Minnesota; the home of the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania was set ablaze during Passover by a pro-Palestinian assailant; and two employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington were murdered in May in a similar incident—all against the backdrop of the attempted assassination of Trump himself during the presidential campaign.
The administration and its supporters are expected to leverage the assassination as justification for action against left-wing organizations and immigrants, groups already targeted by the administration, which argues that crime in the United States requires greater reliance on the National Guard as a leading force in the struggle.
Charlie Kirk (31), a conservative activist and founder of the pro-Trump organization Turning Point USA, was assassinated last night by a gunman during a public event at a university in Utah.
Kirk, one of the most prominent influencers and central organizers of young people within the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, was close to President Trump and is credited by some as having played a critical role in Trump’s success among young voters in the last elections. Through his online platforms and public appearances, Kirk promoted conservative positions on issues such as immigration, gender relations, gender identity, and the right to bear arms. He was also a leading participant in public debates on conservative television and on campuses across the United States.
In the Israeli context, Kirk was known as an outspoken supporter of Israel, while also emphasizing his opposition to US military involvement against Iran.
Following the assassination, figures on the American right—including Trump himself—were quick to assign responsibility to the American left and the incitement it allegedly fosters, even before the identity or motives of the shooter, who has not yet been apprehended, became known. Trump pledged to use his authority to bring to justice anyone he identifies as responsible for Kirk’s death. Other prominent right-wing figures, such as Elon Musk and the pro-Trump influencer Lara Loomer, also blamed the left and the Democratic Party, employing aggressive rhetoric. Senior Democratic Party leaders, in contrast, condemned the killing and warned against any resort to violence.
Although Kirk did not hold an official government position, his assassination has the potential to resonate for a long time and could accelerate the violence and polarization already characteristic of American politics. Only recently, a right-wing Christian man fatally shot Democratic legislators in Minnesota; the home of the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania was set ablaze during Passover by a pro-Palestinian assailant; and two employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington were murdered in May in a similar incident—all against the backdrop of the attempted assassination of Trump himself during the presidential campaign.
The administration and its supporters are expected to leverage the assassination as justification for action against left-wing organizations and immigrants, groups already targeted by the administration, which argues that crime in the United States requires greater reliance on the National Guard as a leading force in the struggle.