FILE PHOTO: Founder and president of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S., February 28, 2019.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk might have been a household name in America, but as news of his shooting and death spread on Wednesday, many people beyond the U.S. were left asking who he was.
Google trends showed a spike in searches of the phrase on Wednesday as news alerts pinged on mobile phones spreading the word of Kirk’s shooting, as he spoke at a rally at Utah Valley University in Orem.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced his friend and ally’s death on social media, saying he was filled with “grief and anger” over the murder of “patriot” Kirk, while Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox described the killing as a “political assassination.”
“I want to make it crystal clear right now to whoever did this, we will find you, we will try you, and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law,” said Cox.
The manhunt for Kirk’s killer was ongoing as of Thursday morning, after law enforcement released two initial suspects in their investigation.
CNBC has a brief summary of Charlie Kirk’s life and work, and why he mattered to the Republican Party and U.S. conservative movement.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Born in 1993 in Illinois, Charles James Kirk showed the early signs of his political leanings in high school, when he volunteered to help in the successful U.S. Senate campaign of Illinois Republican Mark Kirk, to whom he bore no relation.
Kirk later went on to co-found the conservative student group Turning Point USA at the age of 18, which really established the activist in Republican circles.
The group became infamous for its popular rallies on school and college campuses, drawing large crowds with the heady mix of rock music and festival vibes with provocative right-wing rhetoric on race, Islam, immigration and American identity.
U.S. right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd shortly before he was shot at a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem, Utah, U.S. September 10, 2025.
Trent Nelson/the Salt Lake Tribu | Via Reuters
The group’s ability to galvanize America’s conservative youth meant Kirk’s prominence grew in the Republican Party, and in 2019 Kirk launched Turning Point Action — an affiliate advocacy group backing conservative candidates for office, including Trump.
Turning Point USA was seen as pivotal in rallying young people’s support for Trump after he lost the 2020 presidential election — which Kirk and his groups disputed. Social media later helped fuel youth support for the president’s 2024 election campaign that secured his second mandate.
On Wednesday, Kirk was murdered at one of Turning Point USA’s campus events during “The American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University, which was attended by 3,000 people, according to the FBI.
Kirk was married to Erika, a former Miss Arizona USA beauty pageant winner, with whom he had two children. He frequently extolled his faith and its importance to his personal life and work, making him popular within the Christian community.
He amassed a large following on social media, with 8.7 million followers on Instagram and 5.6 million followers on X. He also presented The Charlie Kirk Show podcast which garnered 8.2 million followers on TikTok and 254.3 million likes as of Thursday morning.
Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk speaks during a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump at Desert Diamond Arena on August 23, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.
Rebecca Noble | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Building that audience reach to spread the political right’s message in an era of heightened culture wars and division made Kirk a household name. He frequently appeared on TV and right-leaning news outlets such as Fox News, taking part in fractious news debates.
The support for Trump wasn’t a one-way street, with the Republican politician showing his appreciation for Kirk at a rally in Washington the day before he was sworn in for a second term in office in January, telling the audience: “Charlie Kirk is here. And I want to thank Charlie. Charlie is fantastic.”
U.S. right-wing activist Charlie Kirk (R) speaks on stage with President Donald Trump at America Fest 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 22, 2024.
Josh Edelson | Afp | Getty Images
On Wednesday, Trump reiterated his admiration for Kirk, calling him “Great, and even Legendary” in a post on Truth Social that announced the activist’s death.
“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us.”
Trump ordered American flags throughout the U.S. to be flown at half-mast until Sunday evening.
