Donald Trump revealed that Charlie Kirk made a particular request to him during one of their last talks before Kirk’s passing.
Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at an event on a Utah college campus on 10 September. A close associate stated that Kirk died ‘instantly’ after being shot in the neck.
Known for his far-right views, Kirk often criticized the US civil rights movement, calling it a ‘mistake.’ He also voiced strong opinions on women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and gun violence, once stating that some gun-related deaths were ‘worth it’ to uphold Second Amendment rights.
Thousands, including figures like Elon Musk and Ted Cruz, attended Kirk’s memorial service at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona on 21 September.
During the memorial, organized by Turning Point USA—a group Kirk co-founded—Trump, among others, claimed that Kirk made a ‘last request’ during one of their recent conversations.
Speaking for over 40 minutes behind bulletproof glass, Trump recounted Kirk, originally from Chicago, asking him to “Please, sir, save Chicago.”
Trump assured: “We’re gonna do that, we’re gonna save Chicago from horrible crime.”
This comes after Trump’s previous threats to deploy the National Guard to Chicago as part of crime reduction efforts.
Referring to these plans, Trump stated: “I’m so proud of Washington, D.C., and now we’re going into Memphis, and we’ll get that one straightened out fast.”
He added, “And then we’re going into some others, but we’re going to go do Chicago, and we’re going to have Charlie very much in mind when we go into Chicago, and we’ll get that one straight.”
Kirk was a staunch supporter of the Trump administration and played a significant role in mobilizing a younger conservative base, aiding in Trump’s re-election efforts.
Trump expressed his grief over Kirk’s death on 10 September via his Truth Social platform, stating: “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 added, “He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.”
Following Kirk’s death, Jimmy Kimmel Live was canceled after the host accused Trump and his supporters of using Kirk’s death for political purposes.
Additionally, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson has been arrested and charged with Kirk’s murder. He faces the death penalty for the alleged crime.