Donald Trump Jr. on Friday warned that political violence in the United States is coming primarily from the far left as he mourned the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Speaking on Fox News' "The Story" with Martha MacCallum, Trump Jr. described Kirk as a close friend and said the campaign of vilification against conservative figures has paved the way for violence. Investigators said bullet casings recovered near the site where Kirk was fatally shot at a campus event in Orem, Utah, were engraved with anti-fascist phrases, including a reference to the World War II-era song "Bella Ciao."
Kirk was shot Wednesday during a campus appearance. Authorities have said the attack occurred in front of his wife and young children; police investigations remain active and officials have released limited details as they process physical evidence and interview witnesses. Trump Jr. said footage and social media posts celebrating the killing illustrated a growing willingness among the radical left to use lethal force against ideological opponents.
"When you look at the vilification of Charlie that I’m seeing every day since then, the celebration of his assassination in cold blood in front of his wife and young children. It’s truly disgusting," Trump Jr. told MacCallum. He added that Kirk had regularly given critics a platform and that his advocacy for issues such as religion, family, the Constitution and limitations on transgender athletes in women’s sports made him an effective conservative messenger.
Trump Jr. criticized media outlets that he said had previously denounced conservative figures and were now deleting past coverage or comments about Kirk and other conservatives. He said the violence "is coming one way" and dismissed arguments that political violence is a reciprocal problem.
Investigators have said engraved bullet casings found near the scene contained anti-fascist slogans. Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect or announced formal charges, and they have not offered a definitive motive beyond the markings on the casings. The case has nevertheless intensified a national debate about political rhetoric and whether the labeling of opponents as "fascists," "Nazis" or likening them to historical dictators contributes to real-world attacks.
Kirk, who founded the conservative activist group Turning Point USA, had warned months earlier about what he described as "assassination culture" on the left. His killing has prompted a range of responses from political leaders and media figures calling for unity against political violence, while others have focused on the role of inflammatory language across the political spectrum.
President Donald Trump and other conservative figures have pointed to recent attacks on right-leaning public figures as evidence of a broader pattern; President Trump himself was the target of an assassination attempt during the 2024 campaign cycle. Law enforcement officials have said they are investigating the Orem shooting as a homicide and are reviewing forensic evidence, witness statements and social media content linked to the incident.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have urged anyone with relevant information to contact local law enforcement. The killing has renewed calls from across the political spectrum for de-escalation in public rhetoric, even as leaders and commentators debate the extent to which words and online posts contribute to real-world violence.