Trump Reveals Charlie Kirk’s Final Request Before His Murder
At a massive memorial in Glendale, Arizona, President Donald J. Trump revealed what he described as one of Charlie Kirk’s final wishes before the young conservative leader’s assassination: to “save Chicago,” the city where he was born and raised.
Trump, who has already pledged to override Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) and deploy National Guard troops to the crime-plagued city, tied Kirk’s request directly to his administration’s broader law-and-order crackdown.
“We owe Charlie a profound and eternal debt of gratitude,” Trump told the cheering crowd. “Charles James Kirk was heinously murdered by a radicalized leftist for speaking the truth that was in his heart. He was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice, for God, touched for reason and for common sense. He was assassinated because he lived bravely.”
Trump praised the Turning Point USA founder as a man who lived boldly, fought unapologetically for American values, and left behind an enduring legacy. Addressing Kirk’s grieving family, Trump said: “No words can fill the void, but America loved Charlie Kirk.”
Building Bridges for the Movement
The President also credited Kirk with helping unite the MAGA and MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movements by introducing him to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and with playing an early role in boosting J.D. Vance’s career in Ohio.
Kirk was instrumental in Trump’s outreach to young voters. In the 2024 election, Trump won 43 percent of voters aged 18 to 29 — a number analysts tied directly to Kirk’s relentless campus activism, voter registration drives, and ability to energize a new generation of conservatives.
A Surreal Loss for Trump
Trump, himself the target of two assassination attempts last year, called the news of Kirk’s killing “a surreal experience.”
“The gun was pointed at him, but the bullet was aimed at every one of us,” Trump said. “Charlie is bigger than two weeks ago … think about it … he’s eternal. I just want to say we love him. He’s looking down today and saying, ‘That’s a great crowd!’”
Tens of thousands of supporters filled the stadium for the service, where Elon Musk joined Trump in a show of unity, shaking hands with the President in his booth.
Following Kirk’s assassination, Trump ordered flags at the White House flown at half-staff and publicly stated he believed Kirk had the potential to one day serve as President himself.
FBI Pursues Every Lead
Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel vowed that the bureau is pursuing “every lead” in the case against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who has been arrested and charged with Kirk’s murder.
Patel said the FBI is investigating possible accomplices, the trajectory of the bullet, the shooter’s online communications, and suspicious activity near Kirk in the moments before the attack.
“We are meticulously investigating theories and questions, including the location from where the shot was taken, the possibility of accomplices, the text message confession and related conversations, Discord chats, the angle of the shot and bullet impact, how the weapon was transported, hand gestures observed as potential ‘signals’ near Charlie at the time of his assassination, and visitors to the alleged shooter’s residence in the hours and days leading up to September 10, 2025,” Patel wrote on X.
He added: “The entire FBI mourns the loss of Charlie Kirk. We will not rest until justice is served, and our investigation into this assassination will continue until every question is answered.”
Discord has since confirmed that Robinson confessed in messages to friends shortly before his arrest. One post reportedly read: “Hey guys, I have bad news for you all … It was me at UVU yesterday. I’m sorry for all of this.”
The investigation remains ongoing.