Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while he was debating students on hot button issues at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, September 10. The suspect has since been found and identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, who attended the university for only one semester back in 2021. Charlie had a right-wing brand called Turning Point USA, which often visited universities to ignite heated debates. Charlie also had a podcast called The Charlie Kirk Show, through which he openly shared his controversial political ideologies.
Per the show's description, the podcast featured an "unapologetically conservative, freedom-loving point of view." On Sunday, September 14, Vice President JD Vance took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a surprising announcement. His tweet read: "Tomorrow, I will have the honor of hosting the Charlie Kirk Show. Please join me as I pay tribute to my friend."
Vance was a friend of Charlie's since 2017 and he escorted his body onto Air Force Two as it was transferred to Phoenix, Arizona on September 11. His vigil was held at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center. When news hit about Charlie's death, the Vice President posted a lengthy tribute to Charlie on X.
Vance emphasized how vital Charlie was during his campaign as a senate nominee in 2021. He shared in part online: "Charlie was one of the first people I called when I thought about running for senate in early 2021. I was interested but skeptical there was a pathway. We talked through everything, from the strategy to the fundraising to the grassroots of the movement he knew so well. He introduced me to some of the people who would run my campaign and also to Donald Trump Jr."
Charlie went on to invite Vance to "speak to his donors" at his Turning Point USA event. Vance added: "He walked me around the room and introduced me. He gave me honest feedback on my remarks. He had no reason to do this, no expectation that I'd go anywhere. I was polling, at that point, well below five percent. He did it because we were friends, and because he was a good man."
Vance also revealed that Charlie was not only a huge part of his political life, but also his personal life. He continued: "Charlie was constantly calling and texting, checking on our family and offering guidance and prayers…We [would] celebrate weddings and babies, bust each other's chops, and mourn the loss of loved ones. We [would] talk about politics and policy and sports and life."
He concluded the post by expressing: "And now that Charlie is in heaven, I'll ask him to talk to [the] big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly. You ran a good race, my friend. We've got it from here."