Trump Calls Charlie Kirk’s Killing a “Dark Moment for America” as Manhunt for Shooter Continues
On September 10, 2025, former President Donald Trump addressed the nation after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Trump described the killing as a “dark moment for America” and condemned political violence in the wake of what he called a “heinous assassination.”
Charlie Kirk, aged 31 and founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking at the opening stop of his “American Comeback Tour” when the shooting occurred. Witnesses report the shot came during a Q\&A-style moment, and that it was fired from some distance, possibly from a rooftop, while Kirk stood outside under a tent.
Authorities immediately launched a manhunt for the shooter. Two people were initially detained, but neither were tied to the shooting and have since been released. Law enforcement says a lone gunshot took Kirk’s life. The FBI, along with state and local investigators, are actively pursuing leads in the case.
In his Oval Office address, Trump praised Kirk as a “wonderful American” and a “martyr for truth and freedom.” He placed blame for rising political violence on what he referred to as the “radical left,” warning that inflammatory rhetoric contributes to real acts of violence. Flags across the U.S. have been ordered to be flown at half-staff in Kirk’s honor.
The tragedy has triggered bipartisan condemnation. Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the killing a political assassination, and leaders from both parties have demanded swift justice. Many are seeing this as a turning point in debates over political extremism, free speech, and public safety on college campuses.
