First son Eric Trump said Sunday that the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk has “awoken that sleeping giant” of American conservatism, arguing the killing has energized supporters across generations.
Trump, a son of former president Donald Trump and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, made the comments on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” saying the attack at Utah Valley University last week was “a hit on our country. It’s a hit on our movement. It’s a hit on Christianity. It’s a hit on religion. It’s a hit on freedom.” He said he has seen a renewed intensity among conservatives in the days since Kirk’s death.
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday and later died, authorities said. Police identified the suspect as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a trade-school student whose heavy online activity suggested he had been radicalized by far-left content, officials said. Kirk was a founder and prominent organizer of Turning Point USA, known for campus debates and efforts to mobilize young conservative voters.
Kirk’s widow, Erika, addressed the public Friday in the days after her husband’s death, saying, “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife.” Turning Point USA officials and other conservatives have said they will continue Kirk’s work organizing on college campuses.
In the Fox interview, Eric Trump said a portion of proceeds from his new book, “Under Siege,” will go to Turning Point USA in Kirk’s honor. He suggested that if Kirk’s assassination had occurred before the book’s publication, it would have featured a chapter describing attempts to silence conservative voices.
Eric Trump credited Kirk with reshaping the youth vote, saying Kirk’s campus activism “changed the soul of the youth vote in this country” and asserting that the work of Kirk and other young conservatives helped his father win the popular vote in last November’s election — a characterization presented as his opinion.
President Donald Trump, who had a close relationship with Kirk, has publicly mourned the activist’s death, allies said. Turning Point USA grew into one of the best-known conservative youth organizations by organizing on college campuses, training activists and staging high-profile campus debates and events that frequently drew media attention.
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the shooting. Authorities have said the suspect was taken into custody after the attack; further details about motive and potential charges were being developed by investigators. Officials have urged the public to await formal updates as the probe proceeds.
Conservative leaders have framed the killing as an attack on their movement and called for continued activism. Other commentators and campus groups have focused on concerns about political violence and the role of online rhetoric in radicalizing individuals. The slaying prompted renewed debate about security at campus events that draw polarizing figures and about the responsibilities of platforms where political extremism can spread.
As investigations and public responses continue, Eric Trump and Turning Point USA have said they will press forward with organizing efforts and memorial activities for Kirk. The family, allies and law enforcement have urged the public to allow the legal process to continue while remembering Kirk’s role in conservative activism.