Jake Paul believes Charlie Kirk would have been elected president one day if he was still alive.
Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed at the age of 31 last September after being shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk had built a large following online and was widely known for taking divisive stances on issues such as gun rights, women’s rights, and the LGBTQ+ community.
In a recent interview, boxer and influencer Jake Paul reflected on Kirk’s death and argued that he had the potential to eventually lead the country.
Paul told Theo Von that becoming president for Kirk, ‘was like his job and his purpose and all of that,’ adding that the role seemed better suited to Kirk than to him.
He also said: “Charlie Kirk was clearly going to be the next president.”
The former Disney Channel star — who has tens of millions of subscribers — has aligned himself with current POTUS Donald Trump. At a rally in Hebron, Kentucky on March 13, Trump made headlines by offering a ‘complete and total endorsement’ if Paul ever decides to pursue a political career rather than focusing on influencing and boxing.
“I’m going to make a prediction that you will be, in the not-too-distant future, running for political office,” the President said, though he didn’t clarify whether he meant a local position, a national post, or the presidency itself.
Trump followed that up by promising his support, telling Paul: “You have my complete and total endorsement.”
Despite the encouragement, Paul has been open about his concerns when it comes to swapping Netflix boxing events and podcasting for a life in politics.
At the same time, he admitted it’s something he’s been considering. “I think it goes back to Marcus Aurelius, of, like, helping society and like that’s the number one thing you can do,” he said.
He went on to add if there is a ‘dumb, running and opposing, I will enter the game and risk getting assassinated, but I don’t want to’.
Paul also noted that while he never spent time with Kirk in person, he kept up with his posts and videos online.
“Like Charlie would have been that guy,” Paul said. “It’s f—ing sad, bro. He’s so f—ing awesome.”
Polling from international market-research and opinion company YouGov offers a snapshot of how the public views Paul in the US. The firm surveys people in multiple countries and compiles opinion data.
In its ‘Fame & Popularity’ tracker for Paul, YouGov separates results into ‘Fame’, ‘Popularity’, ‘Disliked’, and ‘Neutral’ categories in the United States.
With just under 2,000 respondents included, the results indicate he is well-known nationwide, but that recognition doesn’t translate into broad approval.
According to the survey, around 69 percent of Americans say they have heard of Paul, suggesting strong name recognition.
However, about 19 percent say they view him positively, while roughly 33 percent report a negative opinion.
Overall, the data points to Paul as a highly visible but polarizing figure, with unfavorable views outweighing favorable ones among those surveyed.