By Vice President JD Vance offered a deeply personal tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Thursday, remembering him as both a friend and a political ally whose influence shaped the trajectory of the Trump administration. Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot the previous day while speaking at Utah Valley University, a killing that has stunned the political world and intensified debates over violence and free expression in a polarized nation.
In a post on Twitter, Vance recounted their unlikely beginning: a 2017 direct message from Kirk that blossomed into a decade-long partnership. Both men, initially skeptical of Donald Trump’s rise in 2016, would later become central to his movement. “Charlie was fascinated by ideas and always willing to learn and change his mind,” Vance wrote, recalling how Kirk introduced him to key figures such as Donald Trump Jr. and helped identify talent for the administration after the 2024 election.
Vance revealed that Kirk’s role was larger than many knew. As his Senate campaign struggled with single-digit polling, Kirk hosted him at Turning Point events and later mobilized grassroots support that would help carry him into national office. “So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” the vice president noted.
A while ago, probably in 2017, I appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox show to talk about God knows what. Afterwards a name I barely knew sent me a DM on twitter and told me I did a great job. It was Charlie Kirk, and that moment of kindness began a friendship that lasted until today.…
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 11, 2025
Vance closed his tribute with a final message that read as much like a vow as a farewell: “You ran a good race, my friend. We’ve got it from here.” Whether Kirk’s legacy inspires unity or widens the fractures already threatening American politics remains an open question.
The assassination has cast a long shadow. According to multiple reports, the FBI is expected to release new details as the manhunt continues, with two initial detainees released and no suspect yet in custody. A 2023 report from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism found a 60 percent rise in attacks targeting public figures since 2016, underscoring the backdrop of mounting political danger and a recent study revealed that those left-of-center are becoming more and more accepting of violence.
For Vance, however, the loss was not only political but personal. He described Kirk as a family man and a devout Christian, someone whose faith and love of debate embodied republican virtues. “God didn’t answer those prayers, and that’s OK. He had other plans,” Vance wrote, in a somber acknowledgment of grief. Images circulating online carried the refrain, “You can’t silence an opinion by ending a life. You only prove its weight.”
Kirk’s death is likely to intensify calls to confront the rising tide of political violence. Vigils and outpourings of sorrow across the country reflect both mourning and unease about what comes next, though even those have seen violence in the aftermath. In Idaho, for example, someone drove a car through a vigil.
On Thursday, multiple outlets reported that the bullet used to assassinate Kirk was engraved with “transgender” and “antifascist” ideology.
[Read More: Democrats Disrupt Prayer For Kirk Following Murder]
