‘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.”
Vigils held across US after assassination of Charlie Kirk: ‘We must heal’
Vigils were held across the country following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at an event in Utah on Wednesday. Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition before he was later pronounced dead. Politicians, faith leaders, fellow conservative activists and others mourned Kirk’s death, with some announcing vigils to stand against political violence in the wake of his murder. Turning Point USA campus chapters at colleges across the country organized vigils on Wednesday night for the organization’s founder. CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER, DEAD AT 31 AFTER UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING “In response to the reprehensible and senseless murder of Charlie Kirk, we are gathering tonight at Westlake Park in Seattle at 7:30PM for a time of prayer, worship, and solitary as we take a stand against the senseless political and religious violence in America,” Russell Johnson, lead pastor at The Pursuit in Washington state, wrote on X announcing his church’s vigil. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-MT, said there would be a prayer vigil at a church on Capitol Hill on Wednesday night. “I invite Montanans to join us in prayer and spirit praying for Charlie, his family and our divided nation. We must heal,” he wrote on X. In Arizona, the group Catholics for Catholics said a rosary vigil would be held Wednesday night. “Charlie Kirk’s local Catholic community gathers to pray the Rosary for the Eternal Rest of his soul,” the group wrote on Instagram. YANKEES HOLD MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF CHARLIE KIRK AFTER SHOOTING DEATH IN UTAH “Charlie was our friend,” the post added. “His family are our neighbors. He attended our Church. We loved him and America loves him too. It’s time now for us to pray and ask for Our Lady to usher his soul into heaven.” The New York Yankees held a moment of silence ahead of Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers to honor Kirk. “Before tonight’s game we held a moment of silence in memoriam of Charlie Kirk. Kirk founded the youth activist group ‘Turning Point USA’ and had become a fixture on college campuses,” the team said on X. Kevin Smith, founder of the conservative media company The Loud Majority, also announced a vigil scheduled for Saturday in New York. President Donald Trump, officials in his administration, other U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle, foreign leaders and sports figures were among those who came out in mourning Kirk and condemning acts of political violence. “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. 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, and now, he is no longer with us,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said on X that the attack on Kirk was “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible,” adding: “In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.” “Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X. “A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.” “Condolences to his family and the young people of this country,” Bruce Pearl, Auburn University’s men’s basketball coach, said on X. “Many in our Auburn student body are horrified tonight, you young patriots who love our country like Charlie. For now let’s morn, keep the violent rhetoric down and then live our best lives, committed to making this country better.” Kirk leaves behind his wife, Erika Lane Frantzve, and two children.
WATCH: Dems and Republicans clash on House floor following moment of silence for Charlie Kirk
A moment of silence for Charlie Kirk on the House floor Wednesday devolved into a shouting match after a Republican representative demanded a prayer be said out loud for the conservative who was shot earlier in the day. As lawmakers stood silently in a mostly filled House of Representatives chamber during a moment of silence for the conservative who was shot and killed at Utah Valley University during an on-campus event Wednesday, Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert demanded a spoken prayer. “Please rise for a moment of prayer for Charlie Kirk and his family,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said. Lawmakers obliged for several seconds, before returning to regular order. However, once that started to happen, Boebert spoke up. CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SPARKS BIPARTISAN UPROAR OVER POLITICAL VIOLENCE AS UTAH MANHUNT UNDERWAY “Silent prayers get silent results,” Boebert said. She could also be heard asking for a prayer to be said “out loud.” The Colorado Republican’s comments resulted in shouts from Democrats. Some reportedly began shouting back about how Republicans had ignored a school shooting that happened Wednesday as well, according to the New York Times. Meanwhile, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., stood up and began shouting back. “You all caused this,” she said. CHARLIE KIRK KILLED WHILE LAUNCHING TURNING POINT USA CAMPUS TOUR Speaker Johnson attempted to quell the crowd multiple times, banging his gavel and asking for order. Eventually, he said: “We will join for prayer right after this, OK?” Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking to a sizable crowd at Utah Value University, located in Orem, Utah, from underneath a tent in the middle of the school’s outdoor quad. Kirk was transported to a local hospital, but was later pronounced dead. He was at the university for an event as part of Turning Point USA’s “American Comeback Tour” that launched this spring. Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, established in 2012. The political nonprofit built its name by engaging youth people on university campuses about politics. Kirk frequently went around the country to campuses to speak at events.
President Trump orders White House flags at half-staff in honor of Charlie Kirk
American flags outside the White House were seen at half-staff on Wednesday evening after President Donald Trump ordered them to be lowered in honor of Charlie Kirk. Kirk, a 31-year-old husband, father, conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder, was fatally shot in the neck while speaking during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. On his Truth Social, Trump posted, “In honor 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 P.M.” Images taken by Fox News Digital on Wednesday showed the massive American flags installed on either side of the White House at Trump’s direction were at half-staff. SADNESS AND SHOCK AT WHITE HOUSE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S SHOOTING DEATH Trump issued an official proclamation on Wednesday, writing, “As a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, September 14, 2025.” In the proclamation, he also directed that flags at all U.S. embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations also lower their flags to half-staff in Kirk’s honor. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump announced that Kirk had passed as a result of the shooting on Truth Social, writing, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead.” SHOT THAT KILLED CHARLIE KIRK MAY HAVE COME FROM ROOF: UTAH OFFICIAL “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, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” wrote Trump. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also posted footage of an American flag outside its headquarters at half-staff in honor of Kirk. American flags were also seen at half-staff in Orem, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City and home to Utah Valley University. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, also ordered that U.S. and Utah state flags be lowered on all state facilities “in recognition of the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk.” CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION LATEST CASE OF CONSERVATIVES BEING TARGETED FOR MURDER Cox also invited all private citizens, businesses, and other organizations to join in honoring Kirk by lowering their flags. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, also announced on X that he ordered all flags in Oklahoma to half-staff to “honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.” “Charlie’s memory, that of a tireless champion for freedom, shall never die,” wrote Stitt.
Supreme Court rejects South Carolina’s bid to enforce transgender bathroom ban
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to take up an application from South Carolina seeking to enforce its ban on students using public school bathrooms that match their gender identity. The brief, unsigned order represents a small setback for the state in its bid to tighten policies related to transgender people. However, a lawsuit on the matter will still proceed in the lower courts. Three Republican-appointed justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, would have granted South Carolina’s request. The order from the high court comes after a federal appeals court had temporarily enjoined the state from enforcing its law while the case plays out. The state wanted the Supreme Court to lift that injunction temporarily. SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW STATE BANS ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES’ PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL SPORTS The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit had granted the injunction at the request of a ninth-grader who wanted to use the boys’ bathroom, which didn’t correspond to the student’s sex. Attorneys for the student, identified as John Doe in the lawsuit, argued to the high court that an emergency pause on the Fourth Circuit’s order was not warranted given the lawsuit centered on only one student. No other students have taken issue with John Doe using the boys’ restroom, the attorneys noted. “Indeed, no student has ever complained about sharing boys’ restrooms with John, who has dressed and presented as a boy since he was a young child,” the attorneys wrote. SCOTUS RULES ON STATE BAN ON GENDER TRANSITION ‘TREATMENTS’ FOR MINORS IN LANDMARK CASE The Supreme Court did not weigh in on the merits of the case, giving little insight into how the court will continue to approach a contentious cultural issue. Its order comes after the high court upheld a ban in Tennessee in June on certain transgender medical treatments for minors and as the justices prepare to hear arguments this upcoming term on transgender participation in school sports. South Carolina lawyers referenced the latter appeal, which is poised to be a closely watched case this term, in asking the justices to allow its ban to take effect. “This case implicates a question fraught with emotions and differing perspectives,” the state lawyers wrote. “That is all the more reason to defer to state lawmakers pending appeal. The decision was the South Carolina legislature’s to make.”