President Donald Trump told Fox & Friends he was meeting with architects about a planned White House ballroom when staffers interrupted to tell him that Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk had been shot and had died.
Kirk, a conservative college activist, was shot in the throat while speaking to students at Utah Valley University and died from his injuries on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. Trump said his staff initially told him “Charlie Kirk is dead,” and that he responded, “What do you mean, dead?” before they explained Kirk had been shot. “They thought he was dead because it was so horrific,” Trump added.
Trump described telling the people in the room to leave and called the shooting “the worst thing” and “so bad for our country.” He said, “Sometimes out of really bad things, things can happen and be good.” Trump also announced on Thursday that he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Law enforcement officials and media reports identified the main suspect as 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson, who was taken into custody Thursday night in southern Utah. Charges listed in a probable cause affidavit obtained by NBC News include aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors have said Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted.
Authorities said Robinson was arrested around 11 p.m. local time Thursday. The Daily Mail reported that the suspect confessed to killing Kirk to his father, who then contacted a local youth minister with ties to the U.S. Marshals Service; the minister reportedly advised the father to hold Robinson in place until law enforcement arrived. Local officials have not confirmed all aspects of that account publicly.
Kirk was a prominent and polarizing figure in conservative politics, founding Turning Point USA and building a national network of college activism. Trump said he had been close to Kirk and that he had believed Kirk could one day become president. Kirk’s death has drawn attention across the political spectrum and prompted calls for increased security at political events and on college campuses.
Federal and local investigators continue to work the case. Officials have not released a motive, and investigations into the shooting and the circumstances leading to the suspect’s arrest remain ongoing. Medical and university officials have provided limited public details about the immediate response at the Utah Valley University event.
The FBI and local law enforcement agencies are coordinating on the prosecution and any federal investigative steps. White House officials have not provided additional comment beyond Trump’s remarks and the announced plan to award Kirk the Medal of Freedom.
The killing has reignited debates over the security of public figures, the safety of campus events and the role of political rhetoric, with leaders across parties offering condolences to Kirk’s family and supporters. Authorities urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators as they continue their inquiries.