Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was fatally shot at an event at a Utah college. Kirk was a top podcaster, culture warrior and ally of former President Donald Trump. He led an effort to remake the Republican Party, mobilizing young conservatives and pushing the party further to the right.
Kirk’s death is seen as a significant blow to the American right-wing movement, with Trump announcing he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
The shooting also highlights the growing political polarization and violence in the United States, with experts warning that Trump’s rhetoric has “thrown gasoline on the fire” of extremism and division.