Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who founded Turning Point USA and became a leading voice for young conservatives in American politics, died Wednesday after being shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was 31.
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. "No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!"
The FBI is investigating the shooting as potential political violence.
Born Charles James Kirk on Oct. 14, 1993, in Arlington Heights, Illinois, he was raised in nearby Prospect Heights by his mother, a mental health counselor, and his father, an architect. As a youth, Kirk joined the Boy Scouts of America and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
During his junior year at Wheeling High School in 2010, Kirk volunteered for the Senate campaign of Illinois Republican Mark Kirk, to whom he was not related. In his senior year, he campaigned against a school cookie price increase and wrote an essay for Breitbart News alleging liberal bias in high school textbooks, which led to his first appearance on Fox Business.
Kirk briefly attended Harper College, a community college near Chicago, but dropped out without earning a degree after being inspired by tea party activist Bill Montgomery, whom he met at a speaking event. Instead, at age 18, he co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 with Montgomery.
The organization quickly grew into a powerhouse for conservative student activism, backed by donors such as Foster Friess.
As Turning Point USA executive director, Kirk spearheaded initiatives such as the Professor Watchlist and School Board Watchlist, raised millions in donations, and expanded its influence nationwide. By 2020, the organization reported annual revenue of $39.2 million.
In 2019, Kirk launched Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group that mobilized support for conservative causes, including efforts to recruit students for Trump's 2020 reelection campaign.
He later founded Turning Point Faith in 2021 to engage religious communities in conservative issues. Kirk served as a member of the Council for National Policy and, in March 2025, was appointed by Trump to the U.S. Air Force Academy's board of bisitors.
Kirk built a formidable media empire, hosting "The Charlie Kirk Show," a daily three-hour radio talk show on Salem Media's "The Answer" since 2020, with its podcast ranking among the top news programs on Apple Podcasts.
His YouTube channel amassed over 3.78 million subscribers and more than 1 billion views by mid-2025.
He also hosted "Charlie Kirk Today" on Trinity Broadcasting Network starting in February 2025 and gained massive traction on TikTok with campus tour videos.
Kirk was a guest on Newsmax, where he discussed pressing political issues.
In a July interview on "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Kirk expressed confusion over the Trump administration's handling of Jeffrey Epstein's documents, stating, "I could tell you, for the three types of category that people that got behind President Trump — younger voters, more libertarian-leaning voters, and those that spend a lot of time online or on the internet — they tend to be transparency advocates."
He urged clarification on the issue, noting, "Some clarification down the road might be very well suited."
A staunch conservative and ally of Trump, Kirk addressed the 2016 Republican National Convention and played key roles in Trump's campaigns.
At the 2020 Republican National Convention, he warned, "I am here tonight to tell you, to warn you, that this election is a decision between preserving America as we know it and eliminating everything that we love."
In his 2024 RNC speech in Milwaukee, he rallied the crowd, emphasizing conservative values and the fight against what he called liberal overreach.
He advocated free markets, limited government, and traditional values, writing several influential books, including "Time for a Turning Point: Setting a Course Toward Free Markets and Limited Government for Future Generations" (2016, co-authored with Brent Hamachek), "Campus Battlefield: How Conservatives Can Win the Battle on Campus and Why It Matters" (2018), "The MAGA Doctrine: The Only Ideas That Will Win the Future" (2020), "The Conservative Response to the Great Reset" (2022), and "Right Wing Revolution: How to Beat the Woke and Save the West" (2024).
Kirk was known for his outspoken views on issues such as election integrity, opposition to critical race theory, support for fossil fuels, and advocacy for Christian nationalism. He staunchly opposed abortion, declaring in campus debates, "It's not OK to have an abortion ever," and argued that life begins at conception, rejecting exceptions even in cases of rape by emphasizing that the child should not pay for the crime of the father.
On gun control, Kirk was a fervent defender of the Second Amendment, stating in a tense debate on a college campus, "The Second Amendment isn't a guarantee you will win against a tyrannical government; it's about giving you a fighting chance." He often pointed out that more murders occur with blunt objects or fists than with guns, dismissing calls for stricter gun laws as ineffective.
Kirk championed traditional marriage and family values, rooted in his Christian faith. He advised young couples, "Do not be unequally yoked with an unrighteous person. If you're a Christian, marry a Christian," and emphasized marriage as a calling rather than a milestone, urging, "marriage isn't just a life milestone — it's a calling. God didn't say 'wait until you feel ready.' He said 'it is not good for man to be alone.'"
He encouraged young women to prioritize family over career, asserting that "more younger women need to get married at a younger age and start having kids," and viewed family as the bedrock of society, teaching that "the most beautiful thing you can offer your children is a healthy marriage."
Kirk's campus appearances, often part of his American Comeback Tour, frequently drew both supporters and protesters, reflecting his polarizing presence.
At Purdue University this past April, hundreds gathered at Krach Lawn, where tensions escalated due to an unorganized crowd, leading to reports of pushing, shoving, and harassment, with some protesters alleging verbal slurs and physical threats from Kirk's supporters wearing Turning Point USA or MAGA merchandise.
At San Francisco State University in May, over 200 students protested Kirk's event with Riley Gaines, chanting and playing music to disrupt the open-mic session, while a local punk band, Surprise Privilege, drew crowds away with a counter-performance.
A petition at Utah State University, launched before his scheduled Sept. 30, 2025, appearance, garnered over 6,000 signatures urging the university to cancel the event, citing Kirk's views as misaligned with campus values of diversity and inclusion.
Despite such opposition, Kirk's events were rarely canceled, as universities such as Utah Valley and Utah State upheld free speech policies, allowing his appearances to proceed. His debates, often filmed and shared online, fueled his social media reach, with some videos amassing over 40 million views on TikTok.
He faced controversies, including allegedly spreading misinformation on COVID-19 and the 2020 election, but remained a resilient figure in conservative circles.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, a real estate agent and former Miss Arizona USA, whom he married in May 2021. He is also survived by their two children: a daughter, Abigail Grace, born in August 2022, and a son, Charles James Jr., born in May 2024.