Donald Trump Jr. compared transgender people to Al‑Qaeda and the Taliban during an interview marking the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, remarks that prompted widespread condemnation on Thursday.
On the Megyn Kelly Show, Trump Jr. said he could not "name, including probably like Al‑Qaeda and the Taliban, a group that is more violent per capita than the radical trans moment," and accused transgender people of being responsible for other "mass killings" that the public is not aware of "because you're not allowed to talk about the truth." He also derided transgender medical care, saying people were "jacking themselves up on hormones" and mocking doctors who provide such treatment.
The remarks came one day after the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, the co‑founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot while speaking to students at Utah Valley University. The shooter fled the scene and remained at large. The Wall Street Journal reported investigators found ammunition at a separate location bearing symbols that the paper said expressed support for transgender and antifascist ideology; the Journal's reporting cited unnamed law enforcement sources and the findings have not been confirmed by the FBI.
Trump Jr. has been publicly close to Kirk, referring to the conservative activist as a "little brother." Vice President J.D. Vance wrote a tribute to Kirk saying Kirk had introduced him to Trump Jr. early in his political career. President Trump attended a ceremony at the Pentagon on Thursday to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and announced his intention to honor Kirk posthumously with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In the same interview, Trump Jr. blamed what he described as far‑left rhetoric for an increase in political violence, saying, "The reality is... we've seen they're not willing to be nice," and asserting that "the violence is only going one way."
LGBTQ+ advocates and other critics condemned Trump Jr.'s comments, saying they were inflammatory and harmful to a vulnerable community. Supporters of Trump Jr. framed his remarks as criticism of political ideology and the broader cultural left.
The exchange adds to ongoing national debates about political rhetoric and violence following a summer marked by clashes at protests and highly charged campaign rhetoric ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The timing of Trump Jr.'s comments on the anniversary of Sept. 11 drew particular scrutiny from those who said the day should be reserved for remembrance of the attack's victims.
The FBI and other federal authorities have not publicly corroborated the Wall Street Journal's account concerning the ammunition, and law enforcement officials in Utah have not released an official motive for the shooting. Investigations into the Utah killing and the origins of any symbols found by investigators remain active.
The Megyn Kelly Show interview aired on Sept. 11, 2025. Trump Jr.'s public remarks contributed to a broader conversation about the tone of political discourse and the responsibilities of public figures when addressing contentious social issues.