Who was Charlie Kirk?

Described by The Washington Post as «one of the most prominent voices on the right,» Charles Kirk, best known as Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot, was born on Oct. 14, 1993. He was also recognized as one of the most prominent conservative political activists in the U.S. and a loyal ally of President Donald Trump.

Kirk is famous for co-founding «Turning Point USA,» which calls itself «the largest conservative movement.» The organization, founded by Kirk in 2012 when was just 18, promotes itself as a nationwide student movement that identifies, organizes and empowers youth to champion free markets and limited government.

According to Euronews, the organization, co-founded by Kirk together with William Montgomery, aims to spread its agenda on lower taxes and limited government control across U.S. colleges, arguing that «Turning Point USA» serves as a counterbalance to liberal politics prevailing on campuses.

Later in his career, Kirk hosted «The Charlie Kirk Show,» a podcast that featured guests sharing their views on various cultural topics.

He was also known for his skeptical views over the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for advocating free speech, free markets and limited government intrusion throughout his career.

In April 2023, Kirk gained controversial attention for his opinion toward gun rights at a Turning Point USA event: «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 to protect our other God-given rights,» as cited by Newsweek.

All of his ideas, opinions, and reputation combined to spark a wave of backlash on X, alongside mourning posts, following his death.