DONALD Trump called the assassination of conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk “a dark moment for America” as he vowed a sweeping crackdown on political violence.
In a solemn four-minute video filmed from the Oval Office and shared on Truth Social, the president said he was “filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
President Donald Trump filmed a statement from the Oval Office following the death of Charlie Kirk[/caption]
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday[/caption]
“Charlie inspired millions, and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror,” Trump said.
“Charlie is a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loves so much, the United States of America.”
The president hailed Kirk as “a martyr for truth and freedom,” adding: “He’s a model for truth and freedom, and there’s never been anyone who was so respected by youth.”
Kirk, 31, was gunned down Wednesday afternoon while hosting a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Shocking video showed a single bullet strike him in the neck as he paused during a student Q&A.
Bystanders screamed “Get down!” as blood gushed from his wound.
He died hours later in hospital.
In his Oval Office address, Trump linked the killing to a wave of political attacks, including the assassination attempt against him last year and the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
“It’s long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year,” he said.
He directly blamed the “radical left,” saying: “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”
Trump promised his administration would “find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity and to other political violence including the organizations that fund it and support it.”
Critics have long accused Trump of stoking division himself, but the president doubled down: “An assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed because together we will ensure that his voice, his message, and his legacy will live on for countless generations to come.”
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