On September 11, Trump expressed that he was not concerned for his personal safety but rather for the well-being of the country after the tragic death of Kirk. "He was an advocate for non-violence, and I want people to respond in that way," Trump said as he left the White House for a trip to New York, where he would attend events commemorating the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Kirk, 31, was killed on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. He had consistently promoted peaceful discourse, urging dialogue despite differences in opinion, and supported critical thinking among American students. Kirk had previously blamed groups like "Antifa and far-left extremists" for forcing him to cancel speeches at universities. Trump noted that he had spoken with Kirk’s wife, Erika, who was "devastated" by the loss, and commented that the country is threatened "by a group of radical, far-left extremists," though he expressed confidence that America would overcome them.
The FBI confirmed that they had recovered a rifle believed to be the weapon used in the assassination. The Utah State Police also reported having a video of the suspect and identified him as being in his college-age years. Authorities released an image of the suspect and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to his identification and capture.
Earlier, during a 9/11 remembrance event at the Pentagon, President Trump announced that he would posthumously award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Trump praised Kirk as "a symbol of the generation, a champion of freedom, and an inspiration to millions." The medal ceremony date will be announced soon, and Trump predicted that the event would draw a large crowd.