OREM, UTAH — Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, died suddenly, shocking the political world. Kirk, a well-known conservative speaker and personal friend of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed while taking part in his famous “Prove Me Wrong” debate at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
President Trump was one of the first to announce the news, saying on his Truth Social platform, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk is dead.” Charlie was the best at understanding and caring about the youth in the United States. Everyone loved and admired him, especially me. Now he’s gone. Melania and I send our best wishes to his lovely wife Erika and their family. “We love you, Charlie!”
After his death, a lot of Kirk’s most controversial and provocative comments have come back online. These comments show the fiery and frequently divisive language that made him a well-known and divisive figure on the political right.
Here are some of the most famous things that Charlie Kirk has said over the years:
On Gun Control: At a 2023 event, Kirk argued that the Second Amendment comes with a cost. “I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment.” This quote has gained particular resonance following his death from gun violence.
On Empathy: In a clip from his radio show, Kirk expressed disdain for the concept of empathy. “I can’t stand the word empathy, actually. I think empathy is a made-up, new age term that does a lot of damage.”
On Race: Kirk’s comments on race were often among his most controversial. During a debate on Jubilee’s “Surrounded” program, he claimed that Black Americans were “actually better in the 1940s,” arguing they had committed fewer crimes then, and that “Black America is worse than it has been in the last 80 years.” He also made headlines for his comments on affirmative action, suggesting that prominent Black women like Joy Reid, Michelle Obama, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Ketanji Brown Jackson were “affirmative action picks” who lacked the “brain processing power” to be taken seriously without a “white person’s slot.”
On Child Pregnancy After Rape: When asked how he would advise his daughter in the event of a pregnancy resulting from a disturbing scenario, Kirk’s response was definitive. “The answer is yes. The baby would be delivered.” He often argued that abortion is “never medically necessary” and that choosing to have the child would be “a better story to say something good in the face of evil.”
On Transgender Identity: Kirk courted controversy when he compared transgender identity to blackface. “A man who calls himself trans is wearing ‘woman face,’ no different than I would wear Black face trying to be a Black person. It’s assuming an identity that isn’t yours.”
On Taylor Swift: Following Taylor Swift’s engagement to Travis Kelce, Kirk used his platform to share unsolicited advice for the pop star. “Submit to your husband, Taylor. You’re not in charge,” he said, drawing widespread criticism for his comments.
On Retirement: Kirk frequently railed against the idea of retirement, calling it “unbiblical” and a “waste of the gifts that God has given you.” He often advocated for raising the retirement age for future generations.
These comments, which are typical of Kirk’s confrontational “Prove Me Wrong” debating style, have made him a well-known figure in the conservative youth movement.