Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, told National Journal he “was really disgusted” by some conservatives who used Charlie Kirk’s death to say “we’re at war” to bolster support, calling it a “cheap, disgusting, awful way to pretend like you’re a leader of a conservative movement.”
Newsweek has reached out to Tillis’s press team for comment via email on Thursday.
Why It Matters
Kirk, 31, was the co-founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a prominent conservative campus organization. He was a frequent political commentator, often speaking on college campuses and hosting media programs and conferences, as well as a close ally to President Donald Trump.
The shooting comes amid a broader climate of political violence across the United States. In June, Minnesota Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in a targeted political act.
Lawmakers and prominent figures across the aisle have condemned the violence, including members of the Trump administration as well as Democrats. Several prominent conservatives have cited his death as evidence that the party is at “war” and issued calls for vengeance, sparking concerns of rising tensions.
What To Know
Kirk was fatally shot near the neck during a student Q&A at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Moments before he was shot, Kirk was answering a question about gun violence, a topic he had been vocal on.
His assassination has drawn widespread media attention, with videos online showing the gunfire and its aftermath, and politicians, pundits, supporters and critics all weighing in.
Many across the political spectrum have offered prayers and tributes to Kirk and condemned political violence. Some on the right have described the escalating situation as “war.”
Tillis called out this rhetoric, telling National Journal reporter Nancy Vu that he was “disgusted” by the calls, saying some are using this opportunity “to say we’re at war so that they could get some of our conservative followers lathered up over this.”
He continued, “There were two in particular that I found particularly disgusting.” It is not clear which two he is referencing, and Newsweek has reached out to his press team for clarification.
Officials have not announced that a suspect is in custody, but have described the alleged shooter as someone who “blended in well with the college institution,” Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said on Thursday.
Many conservatives have blamed Democrats for Kirk’s death, with Fox News host Jesse Watters calling the death a “turning point,” and MAGA architect Steve Bannon saying on his War Room podcast, “Charlie Kirk is a casualty of war. We are at war in this country.” Several other political commentators have echoed similar rhetoric.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said in a Wednesday Truth Social post: “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. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
In a statement Wednesday night, Trump called Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom.”
Vice President JD Vance, who shared close ties with Kirk, posted a long message on X in honor of Kirk on Wednesday night, writing: “Charlie Kirk was a true friend. The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him…So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene. He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”
Libs of TikTok account posted on X: “THIS IS WAR.”
Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, said on X: “The Left owns what happened yesterday.”
Elon Musk wrote on X: “The left is the party of murder.”
Actor and conservative activist James Woods wrote on X: “It’s not gun violence, it’s Democrat violence.”
Conservative influencer Benny Johnson wrote on X: “The Lord God has called his servant Charlie Kirk home. Charlie Kirk is now a martyr…May this be a Turning Point for America.”
Former President Barack Obama said on X on Wednesday: “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.”
What Happens Next?
Officials are still working to locate and identify the suspect. Memorial services for Kirk have not yet been announced. He is survived by his wife and two children.
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