Vice President J.D. Vance vowed to pursue non-governmental organizations he described as encouraging and facilitating left-wing political violence during a special episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, five days after the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Vance said the government would go after what he called the "NGO network that foments and facilities and engages in violence." The remarks came as investigators continued to examine the motive in the shooting at Utah Valley University and as state officials said the suspect was not cooperating with authorities.
Authorities have identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson, who is in custody in Utah. Gov. Spencer Cox said Sunday that Robinson has not been cooperating with investigators. Officials have said they are still working to determine why the gunman opened fire during a college event that killed Kirk and injured others.
Vance hosted a special edition of the show to honor Kirk, who was a conservative influencer and a vocal supporter of Vance during former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign. "Kirk was advocating for me," Vance said on the program, adding that he wanted to use the appearance to "advocate for him." The vice president brought senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller on as his first guest to discuss what they called steps to prevent "festering violence" from the far left.
Miller, a longtime conservative strategist, said one of Kirk's last messages to him urged the Trump administration to develop a strategy targeting left-wing organizations he believed were promoting violence. "I will write those words on my heart and I will carry them out," Miller said on the show. He also cautioned against "unfocused anger or blind rage," calling for what he described as "focused anger, righteous anger, directed for a just cause."
Other participants on the broadcast included Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Fox host Tucker Carlson, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House Communications Director Taylor Budowich. The program aired amid heightened attention to political violence across the United States and renewed calls from some senior political leaders for government action.
Political violence has risen into the national conversation after a series of high-profile incidents in recent years, including multiple attempts on the life of former President Trump, attacks and killings of Democratic officials and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. In the days since Kirk's killing, several members of Congress have called for increased security at public events, and political leaders of varying viewpoints have urged restraint while investigations proceed.
Law enforcement officials have not publicly tied any broader organizational network to the Kirk shooting. Vance and his allies did not lay out a specific policy or enforcement plan on the broadcast beyond general commitments to investigate and disrupt groups they allege encourage violence. Federal and local authorities continue to investigate the shooting, and officials have said more information will be released as evidence is analyzed and legal proceedings advance.
The program and Vance's comments underscore the political stakes as investigators seek answers in the killing of a high-profile conservative commentator and organizers and public officials weigh how to respond to security concerns at political events. For now, authorities are focused on determining motive and building a prosecutable case in the Utah shooting while debate continues over how to address politically motivated violence without impinging on civil liberties.