Erika Kirk forgives husband’s killer at memorial service: ‘It’s what Charlie would do’
Erika Kirk, the widow of slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, remembered her husband’s legacy at a memorial for him Sunday — and revealed her thoughts about his alleged assassin. Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect charged in Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 death, was much like the other young men that Charlie Kirk encountered, Erika Kirk said. Charlie Kirk “wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said. “Our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do.’ That young man … I forgive him,” Erika Kirk said. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it’s what Charlie would do.” MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ASSASSINATED TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER CHARLIE KIRK DRAWS TRUMP, MAJOR GOP FIGURES Speaking to a crowd at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Erika Kirk thanked the audience for honoring her husband. She began her speech by quoting one of Charlie Kirk’s favorite Bible verses, Isaiah 6:8: “Here I am, Lord. Send me,” and recalled a time that Charlie Kirk repeated it at the end of a conference. “After Charlie finished, I met him backstage and I spoke to him … I said, Charlie, baby, please talk to me next time before you say that statement,” she said. ERIKA KIRK, AHEAD OF MEMORIAL SERVICE, INSPIRES CHRISTIAN STAFFER TO REMAIN ‘ROOTED IN FAITH’ “Because when you say something like that, there is so much power in that verse … God will take you up on that, and He did.” Charlie Kirk was quickly rushed to a hospital after being shot at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Sept. 10. At his Sunday memorial, Erika Kirk described the moment when she arrived to “do the unthinkable” and see her husband’s corpse. “I look(ed) directly at my husband’s murdered body,” she said. “I saw the wound that ended his life. I felt everything you would expect to feel. I felt shock. I felt horror and a level of heartache that I didn’t even know existed.” “But there was something else too. Even in death, I could see the man that I love. I saw the one single gray hair on the side of his head, which I never told him about,” she laughed. “Now he knows. Sorry, baby, telling you now.” Erika Kirk added that she sensed “great mercy from God” in her husband’s death when she viewed his body and saw a faint smile. “I also saw on his lips the faintest smile … it told me Charlie didn’t suffer. Even the doctor told me it was something so instant that even if Charlie had been shot in the operating room … nothing could have been done. There was no pain.” Erika Kirk also opened up about their marriage, revealing the private ritual that kept it strong even amid her husband’s constant travel. “Someone once asked me how Charlie and I thought we kept our marriage so strong when he was busy traveling,” she said. “Our little secret: It was love notes. Every Saturday, Charlie wrote one for me, and he never missed a Saturday.” WHO IS ERIKA KIRK?: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LATE CHARLIE KIRK’S WIDOW FROM THEIR LOVE STORY TO HIS LEGACY “And in every single one of them, he’d tell me what his highlight was for the week, how grateful he was for me and our babies,” she added. “And always at the end, he would always end it with asking the most beautiful question, ‘Please let me know how I can better serve you as a husband.’” Above all, Erika Kirk emphasized her husband’s faith and how he practiced his Christian faith, revealing that he enjoyed journaling to remember important moments in his life. “And one of the things he wrote in his journal was this, ‘Every time you make a decision, it puts a mark on your soul,’” she said. “To those of you out there who just made that decision, and took the first step toward a spiritual life, I say thank you and welcome.” LIVE UPDATES: MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR CHARLIE KIRK She also emphasized how Charlie Kirk did “100% of what he could every day,” and that he left Earth “without regrets.” “There was nothing that was too hard or too painful or nothing that he just felt like he didn’t want to do,” she said. “Charlie died with incomplete work, but not with unfinished business,” she said. “And I will miss him. I will miss him so much. Because our marriage and our family were beautiful.” Toward the end of her speech, the widow concluded by saying she was honored to be the new Turning Point USA CEO and that her husband’s mission “is my mission.” “Everything that Turning Point USA built through Charlie’s vision and hard work, we will make ten times greater through the power of his memory,” Erika Kirk said. “No assassin will ever stop us from standing up to defend those rights.”
Rep. Luna credits Charlie Kirk with launching her entire political career at memorial event
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., took the stage at Charlie Kirk’s memorial event Sunday to remember the Turning Point USA founder and applaud his “unshakable resolve to awaken America’s youth.” Speaking at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Luna began by saying that “there would be no Congresswoman Luna without Charlie Kirk.” The Florida representative detailed her experience working with Kirk at Turning Point USA as an outreach director. “I still remember the phone call that changed my life,” Luna remembered. “‘Hey, Anna, it’s Charlie. I’d like to offer you a job as Texas National Hispanic Outreach director.’” LIVE UPDATES: MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR CHARLIE KIRK ERIKA KIRK, AHEAD OF MEMORIAL SERVICE, INSPIRES CHRISTIAN STAFFER TO REMAIN ‘ROOTED IN FAITH’ “Charlie believed with every fiber of his being, that the youth of this nation would save it,” she continued. “These were the sparks that lit the path for me on the eve of my departure to medical school, to decide to change course and join TPUSA, where I could help Charlie battle the socialist indoctrination on college campuses.” Luna added that she witnessed Kirk “grow from a young man with conferences of a few hundred people, to one of the most powerful men in the world.” The Republican compared Kirk’s leadership to George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, saying that his name “will stand etched in history.” MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ASSASSINATED TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER CHARLIE KIRK DRAWS TRUMP, MAJOR GOP FIGURES “Looking at thousands of young people in this crowd, I realize that Charlie’s vision is ablaze in every single one of you,” Luna concluded. “The generation that he entrusted to restore the soul of this nation. So I ask you, will you live boldly as Charlie did? Will you rise to the challenge as Charlie did? Will you speak truth without fear, as Charlie did? And will you pray with unwavering faith, as Charlie did?” Luna is one of many Republican lawmakers who was close with Kirk and has praised his legacy since his Sept. 10 assassination. In the days after his death, Luna called on social media platforms to remove the videos of his violent killing. “He has a family, young children, and no one should be forced to relive this tragedy online,” she said.
FBI Director Kash Patel says agency investigating ‘theories and questions’ surrounding Charlie Kirk’s murder
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Sunday that his agency is investigating “theories and questions” related to the Sept. 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk. In a social media post on X, Patel affirmed that he is “committed to ensuring the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination is thorough and exhaustive.” “We are examining every facet of this assassination,” the official said, before addressing some of the theories that have circulated in recent days. “We are meticulously investigating theories and questions, including the location from where the shot was taken, the possibility of accomplices, the text message confession and related conversations, Discord chats, the angle of the shot and bullet impact, how the weapon was transported, hand gestures observed as potential ‘signals’ near Charlie at the time of his assassination, and visitors to the alleged shooter’s residence in the hours and days leading up to September 10, 2025.” KASH PATEL FACES HOUSE GRILLING AFTER TENSE SENATE CLASHES OVER KIRK ASSASSINATION Patel added that while some details are “known today,” law enforcement agencies are still pursuing others “to ensure every possibility is considered.” “Our primary focus is to complete this investigation and deliver justice,” Patel added. “To protect the integrity of the investigation and subsequent prosecution, we cannot release every piece of information we have to the public right now.” He also addressed questions swirling about a plane that allegedly turned off its transponder after departing near Orem, Utah, where Kirk was shot. “We can share updates (about the plane) when answers are confirmed,” Patel said. “After interviews with the pilot and consultation with the FAA, we determined the transponder was not turned off. Incomplete flight data in rural areas caused the apparent gap.” FBI INVESTIGATING ‘A LOT MORE’ THAN 20 PEOPLE IN DISCORD CHATS WITH SUSPECTED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN“ “The entire FBI mourns the loss of Charlie Kirk,” he concluded. “We will not rest until justice is served, and our investigation into this assassination will continue until every question is answered.” Patel’s tweet came the same day as the Charlie Kirk memorial event at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Vice President JD Vance, one of the event’s speakers, wrote on X that he was returning to the Grand Canyon State to “remember Charlie and honor his sacrifice.” “Last week, we brought my dear friend Charlie Kirk home one last time,” Vance said. “May he eternally rest in peace, and may God watch over Erika and their beautiful children.”
Alabama conducts first state-federal checkpoint operations with ICE, detaining over 20 people
In what is reportedly one of the first instances of “checkpoint” operations between the Department of Homeland Security and a state police agency, more than two dozen people were detained within the past several days. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey confirmed to Fox News Digital that she directed the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and other cabinet agencies to “work closely with ICE to catch criminal illegals.” Ivey praised ALEA’s work on a particularly lucrative “bust” in Russellville, which saw at least 20 people detained. In a statement to Fox News Digital, ALEA confirmed that operation in which agency troopers conducted drivers’ license checkpoints in Franklin and Colbert counties, where ICE special agents were present. GOP GOVERNOR GREENLIGHTS STATE TROOPERS TO JOIN ICE IN IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN More than one-third of area residents identify as Hispanic, according to census figures, which eclipses the statewide proportion of 6%. ALEA directed Fox News Digital to ICE for immigration-specific data from its collaboration. “Driver license checkpoints occur all over the state and are one of the ways we stop criminals in their tracks, and now, we include ICE agents in these efforts,” Ivey said. The Republican, who is term-limited next year, added that criminal illegal immigrants are not welcome in her state, and that every “tool in the toolbox” will be used to keep residents and visitors safe. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who is hoping to shift from Washington to Montgomery and succeed Ivey next year, said he was glad to see ALEA work with ICE in this way. ALABAMA GOV SIGNS WHAT IS A WOMAN ACT: ‘IF THE GOOD LORD MADE YOU A BOY, YOU’RE A BOY’ “When 77 million Americans voted for President Trump, they sent a clear message: they want mass deportations – and they want them now,” Tuberville told Fox News Digital. The longtime Auburn football icon expressed hope that other states will follow Alabama’s lead and adapt such new cooperative strategies with federal law enforcement to crack down on illegal immigrants and maintain public safety. “[Illegal immigrant] criminals shouldn’t be here in the first place,” Tuberville said. Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter also indicated his support for Ivey’s and ALEA’s work. Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, lamented that there are too many other states where leaders “fight harder for criminals than [for] law-abiding citizens.” In those places, he said, “politics matter more to [elected officials] than public safety … I expect this state and federal partnership to continue yielding positive results.” Birmingham immigration attorney Brett Pouncey told statewide news outlet AL.com that numerous communities are also working with ICE to set up license-checking “roadblocks” – citing reports from his own clients. Russellville community organizer Evelyn Servin told the outlet that police should not be working with the feds, and claimed people in her area may be racially profiled and detained. Throughout the summer, ICE also made two dozen arrests in Baldwin County, home of the famed white-sand “Redneck Riviera” beach towns. Arrests were made at sites in Loxley – along Interstate 10 north of Orange Beach – and Spanish Fort, which lies on the other end of the George Wallace Tunnel from Mobile. The operations led one immigration advocate in that region to suggest immigrants write phone numbers on their bodies to be able to contact family in case they are detained by ICE, according to AL.com. Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for further comment and data.
Memorial service for assassinated Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk draws Trump, major GOP figures
More than 100,000 heavy hearts are set to converge on Arizona’s State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., today to commemorate the life of Charlie Kirk — the fiery young activist who ignited fierce loyalty, sharp, yet civil debate, and whose shocking assassination has left a movement in mourning. Those in attendance at Kirk’s service, which begins at 11 a.m. local time in Glendale, will hear from Republican political heavyweights including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, close allies, and family members who will pay tribute to the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA. LIVE UPDATES: MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR CHARLIE KIRK Kirk’s widow, Erika, will speak about his legacy and her new role at the helm of the powerful national organization he built. The service is anticipated to be both a moment of mourning and a declaration of continuity, signaling how his movement intends to carry forward without its founder. COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The gathering was the first stop on TPUSA’s planned “American Comeback Tour,” and, at first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The charismatic Kirk, known for his signature debates on college campuses, sat beneath a white tent emblazoned with the slogan “Prove Me Wrong,” taking open-mic questions from a crowd of thousands. Moments later, a single shot ended his life. SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING In the wake of his death, many Americans are learning for the first time of the unlikely rise of the young activist who vaulted from obscurity in suburban Illinois to become a defining voice for a generation of conservatives and one of the movement’s most formidable power brokers. At 18, Kirk dropped out of community college to co-found Turning Point USA. By his mid-20s, he became the youngest speaker at the Republican National Convention in 2016 and a household name in conservative circles. By 31, he commanded a $95 million political empire, galvanized millions of followers online and established a direct line to Trump. CHARLIE KIRK DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE AND BY 31 BUILT A $95M POLITICAL EMPIRE WITH A DIRECT LINE TO TRUMP His death leaves behind an energetic movement that indisputably reshaped conservative youth politics. With backing from Republican donors like Foster Friess, Kirk turned the scrappy campus operation into one of the fastest-growing conservative nonprofits in America. Today, it’s a political juggernaut — its revenue, according to tax filings, soared from just $2 million in 2015 to $85 million in 2024. Add in revenue from its political action arm, Turning Point Action, and the haul climbs well above $95 million. After his death, TPUSA has seen a massive surge in inquiries for new college chapters as the organization works to advance Kirk’s vision. ‘THIS IS THE TURNING POINT:’ TPUSA SAYS CAMPUS CHAPTER REQUESTS SURGE AFTER KIRK’S ASSASSINATION Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” said the organization has received more than 54,000 requests to establish new campus chapters in the week since the assassination — a surge that would add to its existing network of 900 nationwide. He also told Fox News Digital that he has “personally received hundreds of offers to work” for TPUSA. Kirk’s widow, recently tapped to head the organization, vowed to carry on her husband’s mission in her first public comments since his death. “To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” Kirk said on Sept. 12. “I refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name. And I will make sure of it. It will become stronger. Bolder. Louder and greater than ever,” she added. Kirk said that TPUSA’s annual “AmericaFest” conference in Phoenix this December will continue as scheduled.
Trump to honor Charlie Kirk at Arizona memorial, tens of thousands of young conservatives expected to attend
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is set to be honored Sunday at a massive public memorial service that will include speeches from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The memorial service for Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10 during the first stop of Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University, is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors, including senior White House officials and young conservatives influenced by the late 31-year-old. Trump said he would attend Sunday’s memorial in Arizona to honor Kirk, though he admitted “there are no words to really describe what happened.” “He had just an army of young people,” Trump said, describing Kirk’s influence on young conservatives. “They loved him so much. I mean, they’re devastated right now. Everybody is devastated.” LIVE UPDATES: CHARLIE KIRK’S MEMORIAL SERVICE TAKING PLACE TODAY AT STATE FARM STADIUM IN GLENDALE, ARIZONA Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded in 2012, released guidelines Saturday night for those attending the service, including a patriotic dress code and a strict no-bag policy. The memorial, titled, “Building a Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk,” will begin at 11a.m. local time (2p.m. ET) and is “first come, first served based on stadium capacity,” according to the event website. State Farm Stadium, home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, has fixed seating for 63,400 and can expand to over 73,000 for larger events, according to the venue. CHARLIE KIRK’S MEMORIAL: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE EVENT IN ARIZONA Other scheduled speakers include Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, White House advisor Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor. Kirk’s widow and Turning Point’s new CEO, Erika Kirk, is also set to speak. The memorial will be broadcast on Fox News Channel and streamed on Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
WATCH: Defiant Kash Patel says he’s ‘proud’ to lead FBI after explosive hearing
After facing intense criticism from Democrats during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, embattled FBI Director Kash Patel remained defiant, saying that he is “proud” to lead the nation’s premier investigations agency. Speaking with reporters after the hearing, Patel, who was confirmed to the role by the Senate in late February, touted its historic recruiting efforts, saying that the agency “has the most applicants to become FBI agents and intel analysts in the history of the FBI.” One of the major criticisms he received from Democratic senators during the hearing was for initially misstating on social media that conservative leader Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer was in custody. Patel has conceded that he could have worded his social media post better, but that he does not regret it because he issued it in the name of transparency. ANTIFA AGITATORS DISRUPT BOSTON CHARLIE KIRK VIGIL; 2 ARRESTED Speaking after the hearing, Patel added that “the American people are seeing and hearing what the FBI is doing on a daily basis, crushing violent crime and defending the homeland.” “So, I’m proud to be the director of the FBI that has seen the most significant, expansive application pool in history,” he said. In his opening statement to the committee, Patel listed a series of accomplishments the agency has achieved since President Donald Trump took office, including tens of thousands of arrests, a realignment of the agency and an emphasis on cracking down on illicit drugs. Patel acknowledged the growing criticism over his direction of the FBI and challenged lawmakers on the panel to come after him, saying, “I’m not going anywhere” and “if you want to criticize my 16 years of service, please bring it on.” 58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK Patel was also scrutinized over a wave of firings at the FBI, which some have alleged were politically motivated. Ranking member Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., criticized Patel’s deference to Trump, saying the director “installed MAGA loyalists” to key positions and initiated internal “loyalty tests,” including polygraph tests. Durbin claimed that some FBI officials who failed those tests needed waivers to continue working at the bureau. Durbin also noted that Patel has little experience working in law enforcement, calling his inexperience “staggering” and accusing him of fast-tracking similarly unqualified recruits to fill the FBI’s open jobs. Patel was also grilled by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, for requiring FBI field agents to perform push-ups as part of their physical fitness standards. SENATE REPUBLICANS BLOCK DEMOCRATS’ ‘FILTHY’ COUNTEROFFER AS SHUTDOWN DEADLINE LOOMS Hirono expressed concerns that female agents may be negatively impacted by the push-up requirement, saying, “There are concerns about whether or not being able to do these kinds of harsh pull-ups is really required of FBI agents.” Patel responded, “If you want to chase down a bad guy, excuse me, and put him in handcuffs, you had better be able to do a pull-up.” In a particularly tense exchange, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., drilled into Patel, saying, “I think you’re not going to be around long” and “I think this might be your last oversight hearing, because as much as you supplicate yourself to the will of Donald Trump and not the Constitution of the United States of America, Donald Trump has shown us in his first term, and in this term, he is not loyal to people like you.” Patel shot back that Booker’s “rant of false information does not bring this country together,” before adding, “It’s my time, not yours.”
Trump nominates senior White House aide for top federal prosecutor in Virginia
President Donald Trump nominated senior White House aide Lindsey Halligan as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia after its U.S. attorney was pushed out on Friday. In a Truth Social post announcing her nomination, Trump lauded Halligan as a “tough, smart, and loyal attorney” who has been in his legal orbit for years. “[Halligan] is extremely intelligent, fearless and, working with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, has the strength and determination to be absolutely OUTSTANDING in this new and very important role,” Trump wrote. TRUMP HOUNDS BONDI TO PROSECUTE ADVERSARIES IN NOW-DELETED SOCIAL MEDIA POST: ‘THEY’RE ALL GUILTY AS HELL’ Halligan was one of Trump’s attorneys after the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago for the retention of classified documents. She’s more recently been enlisted in a White House effort to remove what the administration contends is “anti-American ideology” from Smithsonian museums. TRUMP EXPLOITS LOOPHOLES TO KEEP ALINA HABBA IN US ATTORNEY ROLE, TRIGGERING COURT CLASH The nomination would place Halligan in charge of an office in tumult over political pressure by administration officials to criminally charge New York Attorney General Letitia James, a longtime foe of Trump, in a mortgage fraud investigation. Erik Siebert, who had been the office’s top prosecutor, resigned Friday amid a push by Trump administration officials to bring charges in the investigation, which stems from allegations of paperwork discrepancies on James’ Brooklyn townhouse and a Virginia home. James’ lawyers have vigorously denied any allegations and characterized the investigation as an act of political revenge. While Siebert said in an email to colleagues Friday evening that he had submitted his resignation, Trump said in a social media post: “He didn’t quit, I fired him!” Trump noted he was backed by the state’s two Democratic senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, adding: “Next time let him go in as a Democrat, not a Republican.”
Trump hounds Bondi to prosecute adversaries in now-deleted social media post: ‘They’re all guilty as hell’
President Donald Trump put the heat on Attorney General Pam Bondi Saturday, demanding the prosecution of a list of adversaries in a social media post that he quickly deleted. In a now-deleted Truth Social post, the president called for charges against former FBI Director James Comey, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and New York Attorney General Letitia James—slamming Bondi for “all talk, no action.” “Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, “same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam “Shifty” Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.” REPUBLICANS FIXATED ON EPSTEIN ARE GETTING ‘DUPED’ BY DEMOCRATS, TRUMP INSISTS Trump then turned his attention to the recent ousting of Erik Seibert, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who claimed he resigned Friday after pressure from the White House. “We almost put in a Democrat-supported U.S. Attorney, in Virginia, with a really bad Republican past,” the president wrote in the deleted post. “A Woke RINO, who was never going to do his job. That’s why two of the worst Dem Senators PUSHED him so hard. He even lied to the media and said he quit, and that we had no case. No, I fired him, and there is a GREAT CASE, and many la[w]yers, and legal pundits, say so.” Siebert, who had worked in the Eastern District of Virginia since 2010, had not yet been confirmed in the Senate. BONDI SHOULD RELEASE ‘CREDIBLE’ EPSTEIN FILES, TRUMP SAYS Trump said Bondi could not delay prosecutorial action against his opponents any longer, noting “it’s killing our reputation and credibility.” “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” he wrote. DOJ BRASS VOWED FULL TRANSPARENCY ON EPSTEIN BEFORE TURNING UP EMPTY-HANDED About an hour after the Truth Social post was sent and deleted, the president sent out a much more amiable post, commending Bondi for her “careful” work over the last eight months. “Pam Bondi is doing a GREAT job as Attorney General of the United States,” Trump wrote in a second Truth Social post. “She is very careful, very smart, loves our Country, but needs a tough prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia, like my recommendation, Lindsey Halligan, to get things moving. What we don’t need is a Democrat Endorsed ‘Republican.’” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Later, as Trump departed the White House for the American Cornerstone Institute Founder’s Dinner, he was asked by reporters whether he was upset with Bondi. “No. I just want people to act. They have to act. But now we want to act fast. You know, they were ruthless and vicious. I was impeached twice. I was indicted five times. It turned out to be a fake deal. And we have to act fast one way or the other. One way or the other. They’re guilty. They’re not guilty,” he said. “We have to act fast. If they’re not guilty, that’s fine. If they are guilty or if they should be judged, they should be charged. And we have to do it now.” Trump said he would be nominating Halligan to be prosecutor in Virginia. “She will be Fair, Smart, and will provide, desperately needed, JUSTICE FOR ALL!” Trump wrote. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump warns Afghanistan over return of strategic Bagram Air Base to US control
President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened Afghanistan, which is governed by the Taliban, if Bagram Air Base isn’t returned to the United States. “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” he wrote on Truth Social. The president didn’t elaborate on what consequences the country might face. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. TRUMP’S IRAN ULTIMATUM STARTED A 60-DAY CLOCK TICKING FOR DECISIVE JUNE STRIKES, BOMBER COMMANDER REVEALS On Thursday, the president said the administration is “trying” to get the former U.S. Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan “back” from the Taliban. In remarks to the press while standing alongside U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the president criticized the handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Joe Biden and said he had “a little breaking news.” “We’re trying to get it back,” Trump said. “We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us.” Trump did not expand on whom he was referring to or, if referring to the Taliban, the terrorist organization that took over the country in 2021, what they “need” from the U.S. “We want that base back, but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” Trump added. On Saturday evening, Trump told reporters the administration wants Bagram back “right away,” and “if they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.” The Taliban took over the country after the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021. The U.S. claimed Bagram Air Base, which was built by the Soviets in the 1950s, in 2001 when the military went into Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks. In 2021, when the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, it secretly left the base in the middle of the night on July 1, leaving it to the Afghan government. ELDERLY BRITISH COUPLE RELEASED BY TALIBAN AFTER EIGHT MONTHS IN CUSTODY FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS The Taliban captured the base six weeks later in August of 2021, on the same day Kabul fell. Earlier this year, White House hostage envoy Adam Boehler met with Taliban officials in Kabul while working to get hostage George Glezmann released, the first direct meeting since the pullout in 2021. Boehler, along with another U.S. envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, met with the Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and reportedly discussed ways to “develop bilateral relations between the two countries, issues related to citizens, and investment opportunities in Afghanistan,” according to a Taliban statement. The removal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan began during the first Trump administration in March 2020, and open-source intelligence showed that the Taliban had been making gains across Afghanistan in the year leading up to the August 2021 withdrawal. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Under the deal forged by the first Trump administration, the U.S. agreed to withdraw all U.S. forces by May 1, 2021, but Biden extended the withdrawal date to August 2021. Fox News’ Caitlin McFall and Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.