Vice President J.D. Vance said there is "no unity" with people who celebrated the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and with those who attacked Kirk’s family, as he filled in on Kirk’s podcast in the days after the killing.
Speaking Monday on "The Charlie Kirk Show," which he was guest-hosting, Vance condemned online posts that he said justified or cheered Kirk’s death and called for Americans to hold accountable those who celebrate political violence. Kirk was shot and killed last week at a campus event at Utah Valley University.
Vance, who described Kirk as a "dear friend" and a "visionary" conservative leader, said he had received condolences from Democratic friends and former Senate colleagues but was disturbed by the number of social media users who, he said, "lie about what Charlie Kirk said in order to excuse his murder" or "celebrate Charlie Kirk's assassination." He said there could be no unity with people who harass grieving family members or who he accused of funding and publishing ideas that normalize violence.
"There is no unity with people who scream at children over their parents' politics," Vance said on the program. "There is no unity with someone who lies about what Charlie Kirk said in order to excuse his murder. There is no unity with someone who harasses an innocent family the day after the father of that family lost a dear friend. There is no unity with the people who celebrate Charlie Kirk's assassination."
Vance urged listeners to notify employers when employees publicly celebrate political assassination, arguing that social and professional consequences were necessary to foster a more civil society. He also said national unity required acknowledging that political violence is unacceptable and working to "dismantle the institutions that promote violence and terrorism in our own country."
News organizations and employers have disciplined or dismissed several people after posts that celebrated Kirk's death or suggested his rhetoric bore responsibility, according to media reports. Those disciplined reportedly included media analysts, a columnist and others whose social posts drew scrutiny from employers and the public.
Kirk was a prominent conservative organizer and commentator who had been closely aligned with Vance; Vance has said Kirk played a pivotal role in President Donald Trump's decision to select him as a running mate in the 2024 campaign. In the days after the shooting, Vance escorted Kirk’s casket aboard Air Force Two as it was flown back to Kirk’s home state of Arizona.
The shooting at Utah Valley University prompted a nationwide debate over rhetoric, campus security and online speech. Law enforcement officials have been leading the investigation into the shooting, and authorities have not tied the attack to a wider conspiracy or political organization in public statements.
Vance’s remarks come amid broader calls across the political spectrum for condemnation of political violence. Some public figures and elected officials have urged greater civility and restraint in public discourse, while others have criticized social media companies and media outlets for allowing or amplifying messages they say normalize violence.
On the podcast and in social media posts, Vance framed his appeal as a matter of principle and public safety, saying that unity in the aftermath of the killing depends on a shared rejection of political violence and on confronting institutions and individuals who enable it. He described Kirk as a "true friend" and praised his conservative activism and influence.
Kirk's death has spurred ongoing coverage and debate in newsrooms, political circles and on social platforms. Employers and professional organizations continue to review and, in some cases, discipline employees whose comments about the killing have drawn public attention, reflecting a wider reckoning over the consequences of public commentary on politically charged violence.
Vance’s appearance on the show, recorded from the White House, underscored the personal and political dimensions of the episode: a sitting vice president publicly mourning a close ally while urging institutional and cultural responses to prevent future violence and to censure those who celebrate it.
As investigations and employer reviews continue, the public conversation has centered on how to balance free expression with consequences for celebrating politically motivated harm and on how political leaders and institutions should respond to politically charged violence. Vance said such responses must include both personal accountability and institutional change to reduce the risk of future attacks.