WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday mourned the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, describing him as a “martyr for truth” while accusing the “radical left” of fueling the kind of hatred that led to his assassination.
In a video message shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump lashed out at critics of right-wing figures, saying their rhetoric had created a climate of political violence.
“For years those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” Trump said. “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.”
Calling it a “dark moment for America,” Trump vowed to hunt down those responsible not only for Kirk’s death but for other acts of political violence. “My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity, including the organizations that fund and support it,” he declared.
Kirk — a staunch Trump ally who played a pivotal role in galvanizing young voters for the former president — was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Witness footage captured the chilling moment: Kirk, seated on stage, was addressing a large audience when a single gunshot rang out. He slumped over in his chair as chaos erupted in the hall.
Authorities believe the bullet was fired from a nearby rooftop by a suspect dressed in black, in what investigators are treating as a targeted assassination. The shooter remains at large.
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