Trump says he will attend funeral for slain ally Charlie Kirk

Hadriana Lowenkron and Catherine Lucey, Bloomberg News on Sep 11, 2025

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President Donald Trump said he intends to attend the funeral for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed at an event on a college campus in Utah.

“I will be,” Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House as he departed for a trip to New York. “I believe it’s in Arizona. It’s in Arizona, and they’ve asked me to go, and I think I have an obligation to.”

Trump has a trip planned to the United Kingdom scheduled for next week with the president set to depart Washington on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Asked about the timing of the funeral Trump said he believed it would be “next weekend.”

Kirk, the executive director of the Turning Point USA advocacy group and an ally of Trump’s, was speaking at an event when he was shot and killed. The 31-year-old played a crucial role in rallying younger voters to back Trump in his presidential bids.

A manhunt for the suspect is still ongoing with federal investigator on Thursday saying they had recovered what they believe is the rifle that was used to kill Kirk.

“I hear they’re making big progress and we’ll have to see what happens,” Trump said.

The president said he had spoken to Kirk’s wife, Erika, earlier in the day. In remarks to reporters earlier Thursday, Trump said he intended to posthumously honor Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The FBI has released photos of an individual in a hat and sunglasses said to be a person of interest in the slaying — and there is a reward of up to $100,000 for any information related to the shooting. Authorities said the shooter appeared to be of college age and was able to blend in with the crowd while climbing to a rooftop before firing. Security footage showed the suspect enter a stairwell and jump from the building before escaping into a nearby neighborhood.

Kirk, a self-described free speech advocate, was known for his staunchly conservative political views on cultural issues.

In a video tribute to Kirk, Trump blamed the “radical left,” although the shooter and its motivations have not yet been determined, and highlighted other incidents of violence against Republicans without citing attacks against Democrats.

Asked Thursday if he knew the shooter’s motivation, Trump responded: “I have an indication, yeah, but we’ll let you know about that later.”

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday scrapped a planned trip to New York City to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to instead fly to Utah to pay respects to Kirk’s friends and family. The vice president is slated to bring Kirk’s casket back home aboard Air Force Two.

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(With assistance from Kate Sullivan.)