Vice President JD Vance is headed to Salt Lake City on Thursday to personally pay respects to the family of Charlie Kirk, the conservative firebrand and MAGA icon who was gunned down in broad daylight Wednesday at Utah Valley University.
A source familiar with the situation confirmed the trip to The Hill, noting that second lady Usha Vance will accompany the vice president.
Kirk, 31, was delivering remarks during an event dubbed “The American Comeback Tour” when chaos erupted. A gunman opened fire in the middle of his speech, striking him fatally in the neck in front of a large crowd. As of Thursday morning, the suspect remains at large and a manhunt is ongoing.
The Turning Point USA co-founder was considered a rising political force and one of President Donald Trump’s most loyal and influential advocates.
Originally, the Vances were scheduled to attend the 9/11 commemoration in New York City — the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. JD Vance joined Trump at Ground Zero last year.
Trump, meanwhile, will spend Thursday morning observing 9/11 at the Pentagon before heading to the Yankees game in the evening.
Vance took to X late Wednesday to post a heartfelt tribute to his fallen friend, reflecting on a personal relationship that dated back to 2017.
“He wasn’t just a thinker, he was a doer, turning big ideas into bigger events with thousands of activists,” Vance wrote.
The vice president added: “And after every event, he would give me a big hug, tell me he was praying for me, and ask me what he could do. ‘You focus on Wisconsin,’ he’d tell me. ‘Arizona is in the bag.’ And it was.”
“Charlie genuinely believed in and loved Jesus Christ. He had a profound faith.”
Kirk reportedly encouraged Vance to run for Senate and advocated for him to join Trump on the 2024 ticket.
See Vance’s post below:
Trump called Kirk’s assassination a “dark moment for America.”
“Charlie inspired millions, and tonight all who knew him and loved him are united in shock and horror,” Trump said in an address to the nation.
“He was a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate and the country that he loved so much — the United States of America. He fought for liberty, democracy, justice and the American people,” Trump added. “He’s a martyr for truth and freedom, and there’s never been anyone who was so respected by youth.”
