In a deeply shifting publish on X, Vice President JD Vance shared a heartfelt tribute to his shut buddy and conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was tragically assassinated throughout a Turning Level USA occasion at Utah Valley College on Wednesday.
Vance’s phrases paint an image of a real friendship, Kirk’s pivotal position in conservative politics, and the profound loss felt by those that knew him.
The vice chairman recounted how their bond started in 2017 after an look on Tucker Carlson’s present, the place Kirk reached out with encouragement.
“That second of kindness started a friendship that lasted till as we speak,” Vance wrote.
He highlighted Kirk’s mental curiosity, his evolution from Trump skeptic to staunch supporter, and his generosity in mentoring others. Kirk performed a key position in Vance’s Senate run, introducing him to key figures like Donald Trump Jr., and later advocated for Vance’s vice presidential nomination.
Some time in the past, most likely in 2017, I appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox present to speak about God is aware of what. Afterwards a reputation I barely knew despatched me a DM on twitter and instructed me I did an important job. It was Charlie Kirk, and that second of kindness started a friendship that lasted till as we speak.…
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 11, 2025
Vance’s publish learn in full:
Some time in the past, most likely in 2017, I appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox present to speak about God is aware of what. Afterwards a reputation I barely knew despatched me a DM on twitter and instructed me I did an important job. It was Charlie Kirk, and that second of kindness started a friendship that lasted till as we speak.
Charlie was fascinated by concepts and all the time keen to be taught and alter his thoughts. Like me, he was skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016. Like me, he got here to see President Trump as the one determine able to shifting American politics away from the globalism that had dominated for our complete lives. When others had been proper, he realized from them. When he was proper–as he often was–he was beneficiant. With Charlie, the angle was by no means, “I instructed you so.” However: “welcome.”
Charlie was one of many first folks I referred to as once I considered working for senate in early 2021. I used to be however skeptical there was a pathway. We talked by way of every little thing, from the technique to the fundraising to the grassroots of the motion he knew so properly. He launched me to among the individuals who would run my marketing campaign and in addition to Donald Trump Jr. “Like his dad, he’s misunderstood. He’s extraordinarily sensible, and really a lot on our wavelength.” Don took a name from me as a result of Charlie requested him too.
Lengthy earlier than I ever dedicated (even in my thoughts) to working, Charlie had me communicate to his donors at a TPUSA occasion. He walked me across the room and launched me. He gave me trustworthy suggestions on my remarks. He had no motive to do that, no expectation that I’d go wherever. I used to be polling, at that time, properly under 5 %. He did it as a result of we had been mates, and since he was a superb man.
Once I grew to become the VP nominee–one thing Charlie advocated for each in private and non-private–Charlie was there for me. I used to be so glad to be a part of the president’s staff, however candidly stunned by the impact it had on our household. Our youngsters, particularly our oldest, struggled with the eye and the fixed presence of the protecting element. I felt this acute sense of guilt, that I had conscripted my children into this life with out getting their permission. And Charlie was continually calling and texting, checking on our household and providing steering and prayers. A few of our most profitable occasions had been organized not by the marketing campaign, however by TPUSA. He wasn’t only a thinker, he was a doer, turning large concepts into larger occasions with 1000’s of activists. And after each occasion, he would give me a giant hug, inform me he was praying for me, and ask me what he might do. “You deal with Wisconsin,” he’d inform me. “Arizona is within the bag.” And it was.
Charlie genuinely believed in and cherished Jesus Christ. He had a profound religion. We used to argue about Catholicism and Protestantism and who was proper about minor doctrinal questions. As a result of he cherished God, he needed to know him.
Another person identified that Charlie died doing what he cherished: discussing concepts. He would go into these hostile crowds and reply their questions. If it was a pleasant crowd, and a progressive requested a query to jeers from the viewers, he’d encourage his followers to settle down and let everybody communicate. He exemplified a foundational advantage of our Republic: the willingness to talk brazenly and debate concepts.
Charlie had an uncanny capability to know when to push the envelope and when to be extra typical. I’ve seen folks assault him for years for being fallacious on this or that problem publicly, by no means realizing that privately he was working to broaden the scope of acceptable debate.
He was an important household man. I used to be speaking to President Trump within the Oval Workplace as we speak, and he mentioned, “I do know he was an excellent buddy of yours.” I nodded silently, and President Trump noticed that Charlie actually cherished his household. The president was proper. Charlie was so pleased with Erika and the 2 children. He was so completely happy to be a father. And he felt such gratitude for having discovered a girl of God with whom he might construct a household.
Charlie Kirk was a real buddy. The type of man you can say one thing to and know it will all the time stick with him. I’m on various group chats with Charlie and other people he launched me to through the years. We have fun weddings and infants, bust one another’s chops, and mourn the lack of family members. We discuss politics and coverage and sports activities and life. These group chats embrace folks on the very highest degree of our authorities. They trusted him, cherished him, and knew he’d all the time have their backs. And since he was a real buddy ,you can instinctively belief the folks Charlie launched you to. A lot of the success we’ve had on this administration traces on to Charlie’s capability to prepare and convene. He didn’t simply assist us win in 2024, he helped us workers the whole authorities.
I used to be in a gathering within the West Wing when these group chats began lighting up with folks telling Charlie they had been praying for him. And that’s how I realized the information that my buddy had been shot. I prayed so much over the subsequent hour, as first excellent news after which unhealthy trickled in.
God didn’t reply these prayers, and that’s OK. He had different plans. And now that Charlie is in heaven, I’ll ask him to speak to large man immediately on behalf of his household, his mates, and the nation he cherished so dearly.
You ran a superb race, my buddy.
We’ve obtained it from right here.
Kirk, 31, co-founder of Turning Level USA, was fatally shot within the neck by a sniper from roughly 200 yards away whereas talking on the occasion. Utah Governor Spencer Cox denounced the killing as a “political assassination” and referred to as for swift justice because the manhunt for the shooter continued into its second day.
Preliminary arrests of two suspects ended with them being cleared and launched, whereas doubtlessly permitting the true perpetrator to flee amid the chaos.
President Donald Trump, in a video assertion on Fact Social, expressed “grief and anger” over the “heinous assassination,” linking it to a broader surge in threats towards conservatives. This tragedy follows two failed assassination makes an attempt on Trump himself.
As Vance’s tribute reminds us, Kirk was greater than a political determine; he was a buddy, father, and devoted servant.
