Charlie Kirk to be tapped for Congressional Gold Medal by GOP lawmaker: ‘American hero’
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is introducing a resolution to give Charlie Kirk a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award that can be given to a civilian by Congress, following his assassination on Wednesday. Kirk, 31, was assassinated while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University, and a major manhunt is still underway for the suspect. He was an icon of the conservative movement, primarily known for founding Turning Point USA, which is credited with helping embolden Generation Z and millennial conservative activists. Kirk was a close ally of President Donald Trump and considered a highly influential voice. VIGILS HELD ACROSS US AFTER ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK: ‘WE MUST HEAL’ “Charlie Kirk was truly an American hero. He was an embodiment of the ideals that our country was founded upon. A devout Christian, a beloved husband, and a loving father to his daughter and son, Charlie lived a life dedicated to preserving and protecting faith, family, and freedom through respectful and open dialogue with anyone willing to engage with him,” Ogles told Fox News Digital in a statement. “His life was cut tragically short by an assassination at the hands of a terrorist, but his legacy will live on. I’ve introduced a resolution to honor him with the Congressional Gold Medal, a small token of gratitude and recognition for the incredible work he accomplished during his life. America will forever be a better place because of the life, faith, and work of Charlie Kirk,” he continued. According to a draft text of the resolution, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, two medals would be created – one to be given to his family and another to the Smithsonian Institution for “display and preservation.” VIDEO SHOWS MOMENTS BEFORE ASSASSINATION OF TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER CHARLIE KIRK The draft text adds that Kirk had an “undeniable love for his country and inspired an entire generation of young people to boldly protect and defend the principles of the American founding.” On Thursday morning, during a 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Pentagon, Trump announced that Kirk would get a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. “Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” he said. “Our prayers are with his wonderful wife Erika and his beautiful children.” ‘DARK MOMENT FOR AMERICA’: TRUMP DECLARES CHARLIE KIRK’S VOICE ‘BIGGER AND GRANDER’ AFTER ASSASSINATION “We miss him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on.” Tributes poured out for Kirk following the assassination on Wednesday, with many condemning the heinous act of political violence.
Boys suspended in transgender locker room controversy spark GOP backlash in Virginia
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, lieutenant governor candidate John Reid and a top Loudoun County Republican all lambasted the county’s school board this week after three students were suspended following a locker room incident involving a transgender student. Parents told Washington, D.C.’s Fox affiliate in August that their sons were suspended after expressing discomfort over a transgender student who identified as male using the boys’ locker room. The school’s original investigation into the complainants led Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares to launch a Title IX probe into the school and ultimately refer it to the Justice Department and federal Department of Education. On Wednesday, state Del. Geary Higgins, R-Waterford, confirmed his presence outside the Tuesday meeting, and told Fox News Digital the school board wrongly “continues to double and triple down on their illegal policy at taxpayers’ expense while putting the privacy and safety of our children in jeopardy.” PARENTS: VIRGINIA BOYS SUSPENDED AFTER QUESTIONING TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM POLICY WERE IGNORED BY SCHOOL Higgins, the last Republican state lawmaker in Loudoun County and a former school board member himself, called out what he called LCPS’s “science-denying nonsense” on the transgenderism front, and its “obstinance” to ignore threats of government funding revocation. “Not only is the [board] endangering its own students to advance its radical, science-denying agenda, but it is using our tax money to do it,” he said. “The Loudoun County School Board’s obstinance is truly an embarrassment to our county, a danger to our children, a betrayal of our parents, and a disservice to the countless good teachers and principals at our Loudoun County Public Schools—who are being forced to carry out a radical political agenda that puts students last and keeps parents in the dark.” He said the boys’ case is “intolerable.” “They have been punished and defamed for sexual harassment simply because they were uncomfortable with a female watching them change and filming them in their locker room.” TRANSGENDER POLICIES PUT VIRGINIA DEMS ON DEFENSE AS GOP CONTENDERS BACK FAMILIES: ‘SOMEBODY HAS TO STAND UP’ “These boys are the victims of the school board’s science-denying nonsense, not troublemakers or criminals.” Higgins said the best way to fix the issue is to elect Earle-Sears and Reid and re-elect Miyares, followed by a “commonsense” new school board in Loudoun’s next municipal election. The area was once more rural and Republican, but suburban sprawl from Washington has gradually made it bluer since the second Bush administration. Outside the board meeting Tuesday, Earle-Sears said she and those assembled were “here for [something] very simple.” “This is not what we are against as much as this is what we’re for. We want to ensure that every child has privacy. Every child deserves that privacy,” she said, according to Loudoun Now. “We don’t want to undress at the gym, in a locker room, in front of the opposite sex. And if we don’t want that as adults, imagine our very vulnerable children, especially our girl children.” She also said school board rules precluded her from speaking during the comment period because she is not a county resident or former student there. Higgins cited Loudoun’s liberalization, saying that “not long ago,” the county had a “great school system.” “It was about 2018 when the school board shifted from a conservative majority to a not conservative majority when one of the members stepped down. Since that time, it’s been on this trajectory that seems to be getting worse every year.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP However, the school pushed back in statements to Fox News Digital, denying the boys had been suspended simply because they felt uncomfortable. “At no time would LCPS suspend a student simply because they expressed some kind of discomfort. A reading of our Title IX resources should make it clear that there is a high bar to launch a Title IX investigation and an even higher bar to determine a student is in violation of Title IX,” the LCPS spokesman said. The spokesman also pushed back on Higgins’ sentiments, saying any contention education in the county has declined is “completely not true.”
‘Captured the youth’: How Charlie Kirk helped fuel Donald Trump’s return to the White House
It’s no overstatement to say that Charlie Kirk’s powerful reach and influence among conservatives helped put President Donald Trump back in the White House. Kirk, the MAGA world rock star and ally of Trump and the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., turned the extremely influential Turning Point USA youth organization that he co-founded at age 18 into a voter turnout machine for Trump in last year’s presidential election. “His mission was to bring young people into the political process, which he did better than anybody ever,” the president said of his close friend and ally, in a video posted to social media hours after Kirk was assassinated on Wednesday. Vice President JD Vance, who was also very close to Kirk, highlighted his friend’s efforts in the 2024 campaign and in advising the Trump-Vance administration this year. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE FOX NEWS UPDATES ON THE CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government,” Vance wrote in a statement on social media. Turning Point Action, the political arm of Kirk’s conservative youth organization, was instrumental in boosting younger voter turnout for Trump in last year’s White House race. “Charlie was such an amazing guy. He really captured the youth, the imagination of the youth,” the president told Fox News’ chief political anchor Bret Baier in a conversation on Wednesday. “He really convinced millions and millions of young people that MAGA was the way to go.” CHARLIE KIRK ROSE TO BECOME A CONSERVATIVE POWERHOUSE Kirk, who grew up in suburban Chicago, got his start in politics while in high school as a volunteer in the 2010 campaign of former Republican Sen. Mark Kirk (no relation) of Illinois. In the 13 years since he co-founded Turning Point USA, he turned it into one of the most prominent and influential conservative groups in the nation. Turning Point Action dished out millions of dollars into get-out-the-vote efforts in the key presidential battleground states that Trump ended up sweeping in his 2024 victory over then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who last summer replaced then-President Joe Biden as the Democrats’ national nominee. And Turning Point’s “Chase the Vote” initiative, where staffers built bonds with low propensity voters during the 2024 cycle, helped bank votes by ensuring those people would cast ballots in the presidential election. Turning Point also helped run the Trump team’s grassroots organizing and canvassing efforts, following a decision last year by federal election regulators that allowed candidates’ campaigns to work directly with outside political groups. DEMS, GOP LAWMAKERS JOIN FORCES TO CONDEMN POLITICAL VIOLENCE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK SHOT “This is one where the statistics don’t lie. There were seven battleground states and in six of the seven, there were dramatic gains among younger voters,” longtime Republican strategist John Brabender told Fox News. “It would be hard-pressed for anyone to not understand that Charlie Kirk was a major reason that happened.” Brabender, who served as a media consultant for Trump’s 2024 campaign, said “You could easily make the argument that Charlie Kirk had not only an important effort for the election but ultimately the effort that put President Trump over the top.” A Democratic strategist who served on the Biden and Harris campaigns, pointed to Kirk’s large following and acknowledged that his efforts helped boost crucial youth turnout for Trump. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP And Democrats tried to emulate Kirk’s efforts with Dream for America, a grassroots youth organization founded two years ago. The group, on their website, describes their mission as “building a Turning Point USA for the left.”
Country artist shares why he’s throwing his star power into race to replace top Republican
Country artist John Rich is “rollin’” into Tennessee’s upcoming special election with his own endorsement in what’s shaping up to be a crowded GOP primary race. Rich, who makes up half of the iconic duo Big & Rich, is campaigning alongside his longtime friend, state Rep. Jody Barrett, as he runs to replace former Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. “I’ve known Jody, believe this or not, since we were seniors in high school together. We actually graduated the same high school,” Rich told Fox News Digital in an interview. “We kept in touch, stayed good friends. But in the past four or five years, Jody has been a state rep in Tennessee. And so issues that were happening in Tennessee, Jody and I would join forces, him kind of on the inside of the political world and me standing on the outside with a really big platform and big audience. And we would work together, hand in hand, arm in arm, to make things happen.” GOP GOVERNOR NOMINEE PUSHES REDISTRICTING TO OUST STATE’S LONE HOUSE DEM Barrett is one of 10 Republicans running to replace Green in the Oct. 7 primary. The general election is scheduled for Dec. 2. But in the deep-red 7th District, which President Donald Trump won by more than 20 points in 2024, it’s likely the winner of the GOP primary will come out on top. Barrett, along with state Rep. Gino Bulso, state Rep. Lee Reeves, and former Tennessee General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps, were the only Republicans invited to debate their candidacy earlier this week by Americans for Prosperity Tennessee, according to Tennessee Lookout. Rich told Fox News Digital that in addition to appearing alongside Barrett at campaign events, he’s also promoted the conservative House hopeful to Trump himself. “I’ve actually texted the president a couple of times about Jody. I said, ‘You’re going to want this guy in Congress. I mean, this is one of your guys.’ And so I’m hoping President Trump, maybe he weighs in on this race,” Rich said. He added, however, that it’s possible Trump stays away from endorsing until after the primary is over. Barrett has supported Trump on a broad range of issues, though he notably broke from the president’s COVID-19 vaccine initiative, called Operation Warp Speed, during the Monday night debate. “We have millions of Americans now who are vaccine injured, dealing with the results of this vaccine mandate,” Barrett said at the time. Nevertheless, Rich said Barrett has connected with Republicans in Tennessee, and he praised him for occasionally challenging establishment GOP aims and decisions in the state. THOM TILLIS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM SENATE AFTER CLASH WITH TRUMP “What I love about real conservatives is we will call out people in our own party if we think they’re making a mistake, if they’re on the wrong path,” Rich said. “Whereas on the left, they just fall in line and do whatever they’re told every single time. Jody has proven that he will stand up for what his people want.” He said at another point in the interview, “He’s legit. I mean, we start talking about what’s a conservative look like? It’s this guy. And again, when you’ve known somebody since you were 17, and now you’re in your early 50s, and they’re the same guy, that’s pretty rare.” Barrett has also been endorsed by the House Freedom Fund, the political arm of the House Freedom Caucus. “Jody Barrett’s strong conservative record of leadership, not only standing up to Democrats, but also his own party when the RINOs get out of line, is exactly what House Freedom Fund looks for in a candidate,” Allison Weisenberger of the House Freedom Fund told Fox News Digital. Barrett himself told Fox News Digital he was “honored” to have Rich’s endorsement. “John Rich is my lifelong friend, a proud Tennessean, a country music legend and one of President Trump’s strongest supporters in our state. Having his endorsement means a lot, because he has never been afraid to speak the truth and stand up for conservative values,” Barrett said.
GOP congressman reveals how he learned about 9/11 terror attacks in remote Alaska wilderness
On the 24th anniversary of 9/11, Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont., is sharing his unusual experience that day, which inspired him to join the United States Air Force. Downing was on a moose hunting trip with a friend in the Alaskan wilderness, with the only outside communication being an aviation radio, when he and his friend noticed that no planes were flying over remote Alaska anymore. “I’m thinking nuclear holocaust. I have no idea what could make planes stop flying,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital. WEST POINT CADET TURNED ARMY VETERAN HONORS BROTHER LOST IN 9/11 ATTACKS THROUGH METS GAME TRIBUTE “We decide if they don’t come pick us up on our scheduled day, which was the 16th, I said we got to hike to Anchorage and, you know, Anchorage was about 350 miles away, so it would have taken quite a while,” he added. On Sept. 16, as they were packing up the hunting camp, a Grumman Goose plane lands on the lake, goes to the shore to pick them up, and the pilot informs them by rolling down his window that “They blew up the World Trade Center.” “Like, who? And I’m just trying to process this. And keep in mind, we didn’t see any of this on TV,” he said, explaining how he was quickly coming to terms with the sadness and anger about what happened thousands of miles away in New York City. DOG-WALKING MAN STUMBLES ON SUSPECTED DEBRIS FROM REAGAN NATIONAL PLANE CRASH 7 MONTHS LATER He said the tragedy ended up as fuel for inspiration to enlist at 34, just one year from the cutoff, like the hundreds of thousands who did after the attacks. “It took a while to get out of Alaska because the airspace was closed over Canada so I couldn’t fly home. And as soon as they opened the air space, I flew home and the next day, I walked into a recruiter’s office,” Downing said, adding that he had no prior military experience and never considered joining before, as he was a tech entrepreneur. “’Hey, I used to teach at New York University. I’ve got a pilot’s license, you know, what can you do with me?’” the Republican asked the recruiter. Downing ended up doing two tours in Afghanistan for the USAF and Air National Guard, including in a combat search and rescue squad. NAVY ACCUSED OF NEGLECTING BRAIN INJURIES AMONG PILOTS IN NEW HOUSE PROBE “And the recruiter looks me in the eye and says, ‘Well, how old are you?’ I said, ‘34.’ He goes, ‘Good, 35 is the cutoff, go take the ASVAB,’” he said. The Republican, who joined Congress earlier this year after serving as Montana State Auditor, said that the unity in the days following 9/11 should be the takeaway decades later and emphasized that “we continue to take care of our veterans.” “We were all just Americans, and you saw those flags everywhere, and you saw this common goal of fighting back, of coming together, of having that real, you know, that pride in being American. And I hate that it took such a tragedy to get us to that spot. But I’m hoping that we can find a way to get to that spot again, where we really look at our common balance of being American,” Downing said.
Pastor recalls last moments with Charlie Kirk: ‘American martyr’
FIRST ON FOX: Pastor Jack Hibbs, a close friend of Charlie Kirk, told Fox News Digital he was in disbelief when he heard the conservative firebrand had been assassinated after having spoken to him just hours earlier. “My initial thoughts, of course, like everyone else, is what is going on in our country?” Hibbs said. “But then quickly, I think my second thought, which is the prevailing thought, is Charlie was obviously a young man of not only profound intellect, he had a great faith in Jesus.” Kirk, 31, was shot and killed Wednesday at the kickoff of his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University. He leaves behind his wife, Erika, and two young children, ages 1 and 3. Hibbs, pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California, said Kirk had “a love for the Bible” and the pair “spent the last several years going through the Scriptures together.” Kirk’s assassination made him an “American martyr” that will encourage an entire generation of “untold Charlies who will follow in his footsteps,” he said. CHARLIE KIRK PAINTED AS ‘CONTROVERSIAL,’ ‘PROVOCATIVE’ IN MEDIA’S ASSASSINATION COVERAGE Hibbs and Kirk have collaborated over the last five years on their podcast shows and culture events. Kirk was invited several times over the years to speak at Hibbs’ church, born out of the Jesus People movement, on topics ranging from gender identity, abortion and school choice to biblical prophecy. Just hours before Kirk kicked off his American Comeback Tour, where he planned to travel across the U.S. to college campuses and invite liberal students to debate and ask him questions publicly, Hibbs reached out asking if he could get his brother entry into the Utah event. “Charlie was so kind and generous to let this stranger have a front row seat,” Hibbs said. “And I know that that was Charlie loving on me by loving on my brother. And that’s just who he was, extremely, extremely generous.” “My brother sent me pictures of him and Charlie, standing together before the event started and everything looked great,” Hibbs said. “And then my brother called me immediately during the shooting, I could hear people screaming and running, and my brother was about 25 to 35 feet away from Charlie.” Hibbs urged Kirk’s supporters to remember his killing was “not the end of Charlie,” because he had immense faith. VIGILS HELD ACROSS US AFTER ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK: ‘WE MUST HEAL’ “This just galvanized an entire generation of not only those who follow Charlie, but those who criticized him. They watched a young man lay down his life for his cause,” Hibbs said. “And I do believe that the result of today is going to backfire on anyone who had nefarious plots to silence Charlie.” One of the last appearances of Kirk at Hibbs’ church was in March, an event titled, “A Christian or Pagan Nation.” “What a lot of people don’t realize is they see the Charlie Kirk, so to speak, in his armor, right on stage or on the university campus, but Charlie was a very tender-hearted young man, very, very empathetic,” Hibbs said. CHARLIE KIRK KILLED WHILE LAUNCHING TURNING POINT USA CAMPUS TOUR Kirk rose to prominence during the 2016 election cycle, emerging as one of the most influential voices in the MAGA movement and cultivating a close relationship with the Trump family. As the founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), he built a nationwide platform that amplified the voices of young conservatives and brought them into the political arena. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Through large-scale TPUSA events, Kirk positioned himself as a bridge between lawmakers and grassroots youth activists, creating direct connections between the political establishment and a new generation of conservative leaders. His efforts extended to specialized gatherings such as the Black Leadership Summit, where young participants were even invited to the White House during President Donald Trump‘s first term, offering them a rare opportunity to engage face-to-face with the president.
9/11 responder’s wife blasts Mamdani’s link to Twitch streamer who said ‘America deserved’ attacks
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo hosted a press conference days before the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, where speakers criticized Zohran Mamdani for associating with a Twitch streamer who once declared, “America deserved 9/11.” Steps from Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, Cuomo stood alongside Sal Tururici, a longtime Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) emergency medical technician (EMT) and 9/11 first responder who was later diagnosed with terminal cancer. “I am calling on Zohran Mamdani to disavow Hasan Piker and his hateful words. His association with Hasan Piker disqualifies him to serve in any role for New York City, let alone one as important as mayor,” Tururici’s wife, Wendi, who became an EMT following 9/11, said during Tuesday’s press conference. MAMDANI, CUOMO CLASH OVER WHO IS BETTER AT SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT AFTER MANHATTAN MASS SHOOTING The Cuomo campaign displayed posters of Mamdani and Piker posing together from earlier this year, as well as an image of Piker from his Twitch stream, where he claimed in 2019 that “America deserved 9/11.” The Mamdani campaign responded in a statement, “Andrew Cuomo knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s holding a press conference to suggest that Zohran Mamdani — who is poised to become New York’s first Muslim mayor — somehow supported 9/11. It’s vile, it’s dangerous, and it’s deliberate.” The Mamdani campaign argued that Cuomo has “used Muslims as convenient punching bags for decades.” “New Yorkers can see this for what it is — a cynical attempt to recycle the ugliest playbook in our politics. Cuomo is not protecting the memory of 9/11 victims; he’s once again desecrating it by weaponizing grief and pain for his own ambition,” the campaign added. Piker himself echoed the Mamdani campaign’s rebuttal during his livestream on Tuesday, Mediaite reported. “These guys are incredibly desperate, and they’ll get even more racist as the election nears,” Piker said, arguing that Cuomo is “leaning on Islamophobia.” ADAMS, CUOMO TRADE JABS IN INTERVIEWS AS DEMS-TURNED-INDEPENDENTS COURT ANTI-MAMDANI VOTE Piker has attempted to clarify his comments since they went viral in 2019, acknowledging it was “inappropriate.” But Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., cited Piker’s comments in a letter to Twitch executives last year, urging them to “stop popularizing those who popularize antisemitism.” After Mamdani appeared on Piker’s Twitch stream earlier this year, he told Politico, “I am willing to speak to each and every person about this campaign, and I’ve said that from the beginning.” Cuomo did not address Piker’s comments directly during Tuesday’s press conference, but Wendi Tururici said Mamdani’s association with Piker is not just politics, but “life and death.” The Tururici family endorsed Cuomo’s New York City mayoral campaign on Tuesday. “This is not just politics, this is personal,” Cuomo said. “Sal’s story is a reminder of why this work matters. Those benefits saved lives and honored sacrifice. Leadership is about life and death, protecting New Yorkers, doing the hard work, and delivering when it matters most.” Cuomo’s press conference was hosted just eight weeks before Election Day, as The New York Times/Siena College poll conducted from Sept. 2–6 and released Tuesday morning revealed that the former governor is trailing Mamdani by 22 points. The Cuomo campaign also confirmed to Fox News Digital on Tuesday two new hires in the final sprint to Election Day — veteran Democratic campaign strategist Greg Goldner and Democratic pollster Cornell Belcher.
Lawmakers to mark 9/11 at Ground Zero as New York remains a bullseye for terror threats
FIRST ON FOX: A bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House Homeland Security Committee is visiting Ground Zero in New York City to commemorate the 24th anniversary of 9/11 on Thursday, Fox News Digital has learned. New York remains in terrorism’s crosshairs, and members from the House Homeland Security Committee have sounded the alarm on potential threats the U.S. continues to face – especially as the U.S. gears up to host upcoming large-scale events like the FIFA World Cup next year. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, will lead a cohort of lawmakers on the committee to visit Ground Zero on Thursday, according to a committee aide. The lawmakers are also slated to lay flowers at the memorial before thanking first responders, and also participate in a staff-led tour of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum on Thursday evening. TRUMP ADMIN REINSTATES 9/11 SURVIVORS PROGRAM STAFF FOLLOWING HHS REORGANIZATION PLAN “Twenty-four years later, it’s critical to remember that [the Department of Homeland Security] and the Committee on Homeland Security were created in the aftermath of one of the darkest days in our nation’s history,” Garbarino said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “As a lifelong New Yorker and a proud Long Islander, ‘Never Forget’ is about more than remembrance; it is a call to action that guides my work every day, and it will continue to guide the Committee’s.” “More than two decades later, our nation still faces heightened and evolving threats from foreign terrorist organizations and homegrown violent extremists, and New York remains a top terror target,” Garbarino said. The Justice Department’s research and technology agency, the National Institute of Justice, determined in 2023 that New York City had the highest number of attempted or actual terror incidents in the country. Members of the committee have spearheaded legislation seeking to address these persistent terrorist threats. For example, Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, reintroduced legislation in February known as the Countering Online Radicalization and Terrorism Act, which would require DHS to conduct assessments each year evaluating the threat terrorist groups like ISIS and Hamas pose to the U.S. through the use of foreign cloud-based mobile or desktop messaging applications. TRUMP TO ATTEND YANKEES GAME IN NEW YORK ON 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 ATTACKS Other lawmakers from the committee expected to attend the site visit to Ground Zero are the committee’s top Democrat, Bennie Thompson from Mississippi, as well as Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., and Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner, Pablo José Hernández. A bipartisan group of committee members on Friday will also visit the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held. Members from the White House’s FIFA World Cup Task Force, including New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s son, Andrew Giuliani, will also join the lawmakers to examine security preparations for the event, according to a committee aide. Andrew Giuliani is leading the White House’s task force. President Donald Trump will mark the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the Pentagon by delivering remarks at the annual observance ceremony. He will also attend a private memorial led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine honoring the 184 victims. TRUMP ANNOUNCES KENNEDY CENTER AS FIFA WORLD CUP DRAW VENUE WHILE PRAISING DC CRIME CRACKDOWN DHS is coordinating securing the games for the World Cup, along with other upcoming events like the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and the U.S.’ 250th anniversary in 2026. Meanwhile, the House Homeland Security’s Committee Task Force on Special Events is providing oversight of these security efforts. “This important meeting will help inform the Committee’s ongoing efforts to ensure DHS can help keep Americans and visitors safe during upcoming international events on U.S. soil, including the 2028 Olympics,” Garbarino said. “America can never again be caught off guard by its enemies.”
Who was Charlie Kirk? What we know about the shooting and the suspect
Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative activist in the United States and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, was shot dead at an event at Utah Valley University. Video of the incident circulating on social media showed Kirk speaking to a large outdoor crowd when a loud crack, a gunshot, rings out. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Kirk briefly clutches his neck before collapsing from his chair, sending attendees fleeing. He was 31 years old. Here is what we know: What happened? Kirk was on a speaking tour, and his stop at Utah Valley University was the first of at least 15 scheduled events at universities around the country as part of his “American Comeback Tour”. Before the shooting, he was seated at his “Prove Me Wrong” debating table, taking questions from an audience outdoors. Videos show that Kirk was going back and forth with a student about mass shootings and transgender people when he was shot. “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” Kirk was asked. “Too many,” Kirk responded as the crowd clapped. “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” To which Kirk replied, “Counting or not counting gang violence?” Seconds later, Kirk could be seen struck in the neck as he falls from his chair. The scene after US right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk was shot at a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem, Utah [Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Reuters] According to reports, Kirk was shot about 20 minutes after he began speaking at approximately 12:10pm local time (18:10 GMT). Advertisement In video footage from the event, it can be seen how Kirk moved his hand towards his neck as he fell off his chair, sending the attendees running. In another clip, blood can be seen gushing from his neck immediately after the shot. No one else was shot during the event. Kirk’s wife and children were present during the incident. Where did the shooting happen? The shooting took place in the courtyard at Utah Valley University, located about 64km (40 miles) south of Salt Lake City. A spokeswoman for the university said Kirk was hit by a shot fired from the roof of the school’s Losee Center, a campus building about 180 metres (200 yards) from the event area. It was not clear whether the shot was fired from a rooftop or an open window. Who was Charlie Kirk? Charlie Kirk was one of the most prominent conservative activists and media personalities in the US, and a trusted ally of President Trump. He co-founded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit conservative advocacy group, when he was just 18. Kirk’s group grew into the country’s largest conservative youth movement, and over the years, he became a central player in a network of pro-Trump influencers, often described as the face of the “Make America Great Again” movement. Trump often credited Kirk with bringing many young voters and voters of colour over to his side during the 2024 presidential campaign. He was also a sharp critic of mainstream media and threw himself into culture-war battles over race, gender and immigration. His provocative style won him a loyal support base but also fierce opposition. Cofounder and president of Turning Point, Charlie Kirk, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference [File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters] Kirk also became a close friend of the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, with whom Kirk travelled to Greenland in January. He was also an early champion of Vice President JD Vance as Trump was deciding whether the senator would be his running mate. Kirk had 5.2 million followers on the platform X and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a podcast and radio programme that reached more than 500,000 listeners each month. He made regular appearances on Fox News, including a recent guest co-hosting slot on Fox & Friends. According to a report by The New York Times, Kirk never pursued a role within the administration. His aim was to reshape the Republican Party and, more broadly, American politics. “We want to transform the culture,” he told The New York Times Magazine in February. Kirk also built a fortune through his popular podcast, frequent speaking engagements and books, including his 2020 bestseller, The MAGA Doctrine. Advertisement On social media, he posted constantly, offering a right-wing perspective on a plethora of issues. In response to the fatal, unprovoked stabbing of a white woman by a Black man, Kirk posted this on X on Tuesday: Will Cain is 100% right. We have been propagandized by liars and fakers in the media to believe that America is a vicious, racist country and indiscriminate attacks on black people by whites happen all the time. But the numbers tell the truth. Black attacks on white people… pic.twitter.com/SHmlxAIhds — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 9, 2025 What do we know about the shooter? There was confusion about whether a suspect was in custody. A “person of interest” was in custody on Wednesday evening, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said, though no charges were immediately announced. FBI director, Kash Patel, said on X: “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in the interest of transparency.” Beau Mason, the head of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said a suspect was described as being dressed in all-dark clothing. He said one shot was fired in the fatal attack. Six officers were working the event, and there were more than 3,000 people in attendance, according to Jeff Long, chief of the Utah Valley University police department. Kirk also had a private security team with him. “This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” Utah Governor Cox said. “I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.” What’s the latest on the ground? Currently, the campus is closed, according to
Tributes pour in for Charlie Kirk, conservative activist and Trump ally
Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and commentator who became a household name in the United States as an outspoken ally of President Donald Trump, has been shot and killed at a Utah college event. As the CEO and cofounder of the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA, the 31-year-old Kirk attracted millions of viewers online for his outdoor debates on US college campuses. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Video of the shooting circulating on social media showed Kirk speaking to a large outdoor crowd and, moments later, falling off his chair with his hands on his neck after a loud crack that sounded like a gunshot. He was pronounced dead after being brought to hospital in critical condition. Utah authorities said Kirk was killed with a single shot that likely came from the rooftop of a nearby building in what is believed to be a targeted killing. FBI director Kash Patel said a suspect in the shooting had been taken into custody but then released after interrogation. The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5 — FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2025 Kirk was known for his polarising debates on hot-button topics, including transgender identity and abortion. An online petition calling on university administrators to prevent him from speaking on Wednesday had received nearly 1,000 signatures. With the rise of political violence across the US in recent years, Kirk’s killing has brought condemnation from both sides of the political spectrum. Advertisement Here are reactions to the news of Kirk’s death: US President Donald Trump President Trump, who survived two assassination attempts last year, wrote on his Truth Social platform that “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead”. Playing the role of adviser and supporter in previous Trump election campaigns, Kirk developed a close relationship with Trump’s campaign team and his family. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me,” Trump wrote. “In honour of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Sunday evening at 6 PM,” he said. President Trump shakes hands with Charlie Kirk during a Generation Next White House forum at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, in Washington, in 2018 [File: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo] Former US President Joe Biden Joe Biden, who was running for president in 2020 when Kirk was a vocal ally of the Trump campaign, condemned the shooting on the X platform. “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones,” he wrote. There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2025 Former US President Barack Obama “We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.” We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children. — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2025 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Kirk repeatedly professed his Christian Evangelical faith and was a staunch supporter of Israel during his on-air debates at college campuses. In a post on X, Israel’s Netanyahu regretted that the activist could not visit Israel as planned. “Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place. We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact.” Advertisement UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer “My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk. It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband. “We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear – there can be no justification for political violence,” he wrote. My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk. It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband. We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear – there can be no justification for political violence. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 10, 2025 Robert F Kennedy Jr, US Secretary of Health and Human Services “Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era. My dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country’s relentless and courageous crusader for free speech. We pray for Erika and the children,” Kennedy wrote on X. “Charlie is already in paradise with the angels. We ask his prayers for our country.” Hollywood actor Mel Gibson “The brutal murder of Charlie Kirk is nothing short of evil a cowardly attack on America’s very soul. Faith, family, freedom, the right to speak truth trampled by violence. My blood boils. Justice must be relentless and unforgiving,” he wrote. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “If you knew him, you’d love him,” Hegseth told US troops, speaking of his admiration for and friendship with Kirk. “Taken by an assassin’s bullet – unfathomable,” Hegseth said. A prayer for Charlie Kirk and those who serve. pic.twitter.com/wWkEEvheRm