Donald Trump Jr. on Thursday compared transgender people to Middle Eastern jihadist organizations in an interview aired the day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at a university event, remarks that drew widespread attention amid an active investigation into the killing.
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 suggested transgender people were responsible for other mass killings about which the public was not informed. He also said he was "sure people are totally sane after jacking themselves up on hormones given to them by some rainbow hair freak doctor because they think men can somehow magically become women."
The comments came a day after Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the throat while addressing students at Utah Valley University. The shooter fled the scene and remained at large as authorities continued their investigation. An early internal report circulating in law enforcement, cited by news outlets, said investigators found ammunition inside the suspected weapon marked with symbols that purportedly expressed support for transgender ideology; that detail has not been confirmed by the FBI and was attributed to unnamed sources.
Trump Jr. and Kirk were reported to have maintained a close personal relationship, with Trump Jr. referring to Kirk as a "little brother." Vice President J.D. Vance posted 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 honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and announced plans to posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In the Megyn Kelly interview, Trump Jr. also blamed what he described as far-left rhetoric for an increase in political violence. "The reality is... we've seen they're not willing to be nice," he said, adding, "The violence is only going one way." Those remarks came during the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when members of the administration and others were participating in memorial events.
The investigation into Kirk's killing remained active, with law enforcement continuing efforts to locate a suspect and verify early reports about evidence recovered at the scene. Officials have not publicly confirmed a motive. The report about marked ammunition was described in media accounts as an early internal finding and had not been corroborated by federal authorities.
Trump Jr.'s statements reflect a broader, ongoing national debate over rhetoric directed at transgender people and how political language may intersect with incidents of violence. The killing of a high-profile conservative activist and the subsequent public statements by the president's son added to tensions between political factions already engaged in heated discussions about safety, free speech and the responsibilities of public figures.
As investigators pursue leads in the Kirk shooting, the White House and representatives for Trump Jr. did not immediately issue further comment expanding on the interview or the president's decision to award Kirk the nation's highest civilian honor. The FBI has not released an updated public statement confirming the details of the internal report that was cited in early media coverage.
Authorities asked anyone with information about the shooting at Utah Valley University to contact local law enforcement. The investigation and legal proceedings, if any, are expected to produce more definitive findings in the coming days and weeks.