Alex Bruesewitz, a longtime friend and fellow Trump adviser, described Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk as "the nicest man" he had ever met during an interview Thursday on Fox News, hours after Kirk was killed on the campus of Utah Valley University.
On "The Story" with Martha MacCallum, Bruesewitz said the past 24 hours had been "really tough" and recalled a working relationship that began in their youth. The two men collaborated on Bruesewitz’s book "Winning the Social Media War," for which Kirk wrote the foreword, and both have worked to expand former President Donald Trump’s appeal to younger voters.
Bruesewitz, three years younger than Kirk, said Kirk "would never hurt anyone" and that he sought debate and conversation rather than violence. "He only wanted to have conversations with people. He only wanted to debate people. He didn't use violence, he didn't use violent rhetoric. He just spoke the truth," Bruesewitz told MacCallum.
First Lady Melania Trump offered condolences to the Kirk family; Kirk leaves his wife, Erika, a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son, according to statements and media reports. Bruesewitz said Kirk’s death was particularly painful because of his personal conduct and the work both had done to mobilize young voters.
In the interview, Bruesewitz also criticized what he called a "sick ideology" on the political left and condemned media and political figures who he said privately flatter conservatives but publicly criticize them for television appearances. "These people don't even believe what they say, but they say it anyway because they want to get television hits on MSNBC or CNN," he said. He urged that anyone who had spoken hatefully about Kirk, President Trump or others should apologize and stop, calling continued attacks "a disgrace."
Kirk had warned his followers months earlier to be wary of what he described as "assassination culture" among political opponents, a warning that has been widely cited in coverage since his death.
Reactions in the media and political commentary were swift and mixed. During live coverage of the shooting, former MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd called Kirk "one of the most divisive" figures and said he frequently pushed what Dowd described as hate speech. MSNBC subsequently dropped Dowd, effective Sept. 10, 2025, and issued an apology for his remarks.
"During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable," MSNBC said in a statement. "We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise."
News organizations and political figures across the spectrum have weighed in since the shooting, praising Kirk's political activism and criticizing the broader climate of partisan rhetoric. Supporters and critics alike have pointed to the episode as a reminder of intense polarization in U.S. politics, while public figures have called for restraint in language used about political opponents.
Bruesewitz's remarks on Fox News added a personal perspective to a fast-moving newscycle: he framed Kirk as a friend and colleague whose conduct, he said, centered on argument and persuasion rather than violence. The case that led to Kirk's death is under investigation, and law enforcement authorities have been conducting inquiries at the Utah campus.
As tributes and condemnation circulated on social media and cable news, some commentators urged a reassessment of political rhetoric; others emphasized that investigations and factual reporting should proceed before drawing broader conclusions. Media organizations that covered the events have issued statements addressing on-air commentary and its impact on audiences.
Kirk's death has prompted responses from allies, critics and public officials, and it has intensified discussion about the tone of political discourse in the United States. Authorities continue to provide updates as they move forward with the investigation.