
Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk was shot on his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University. In this episode of Nightly Scroll, I pray for Charlie’s recovery, for his family, for the Turning Point community and all of Charlie’s fans.
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This is obviously some of the worst news that I've ever had to report on and I didn't know Charlie personally, but it's hard to not know Charlie and all the work that he did.
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Obviously he's a conservative thought leader, the founder of Turning Point usa, and he was senselessly assassinated earlier today at an event in Utah. So I want to extend my deepest.
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Condolences to his wife, Erica, to his two children, to his parents, to all of my friends who work for Charlie, work for Turning Point, either they used to or they currently work there. To everyone who knew him, to everyone.
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Who enjoyed his content, even.
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I am so sorry for this collective loss. It's a massive loss. I can't even really put words to it. So bear with me because I'm going to try to get through this as best as I can, but I want to get through the facts and what we know as of now. So before we get to that, I also, I just put out on X, obviously. Rest in peace. This is horrible.
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And like I said, I didn't know.
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I didn't know Charlie, but I know.
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A lot of you did. People who watch this show, friends of mine, people in the media.
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So if you have a story about Charlie that you want me to share.
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I would love to do that at the end of the show or throughout the show or even if you didn't know Charlie and you learned something from Charlie or you just have something nice to say about him, certainly I want to share that. So some of the ones that I've.
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Gotten just so far, he died in Christ.
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Good will come from this.
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Charlie was a defender of our faith.
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A great patriot, a warrior, a family leader. My family met him at ut. It was my dad's birthday. He took the time to say happy birthday and give my dad a pair of American flag socks. Little things in the midst of the bigger picture. We will miss you. Someone else said his voice helped guide me to the light and what I feel is morally and ethically correct on the side of history. I shed tears for what I witnessed on this platform. May God provide peace and comfort to his family. So certainly if you have any more stories like that, the, you know, him giving someone's dad a happy birthday, pair of socks or anything like that, I. I would love to share some of those stories just to. To remember him and who he was as a person, because he was an amazing person and a man of God. He was. Go ahead.
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Yeah, this is. This is producer guy. I met Charlie at the RNC last year, and I didn't start conversation with him or anything, but just I know some of his staff, and he was so polite and so nice and so lovely to everyone, and everyone adored him. It's just one of these people you can tell is just genuinely great human being. And it was an honor to meet him.
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Yeah. Again, like I said, it's a massive loss, and I'm gonna try. Try to do my best to get through this. But here's what we know as of now. He was speaking at Utah Valley University as part of his American Comeback tour.
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Authorities have not yet found the assassin. They had a man in custody earlier.
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Today, but according to Fox News, they.
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Got a statement from Ellen Trenor. She is the associate Vice president of Strategic Communication management at Utah Valley University. She said, to the best of my knowledge, that individual has been released. Our campus police are currently investigating within in conjunction with the Orem police. So whoever that man was that was caught on video, I know a lot of videos were circulating on X earlier today of a man in custody. He was being arrested by police officers. Apparently that was not the man who shot Charlie Kirk. So we'll obviously stay on top of this. Maybe details we won't find out tonight, but certainly throughout the week. And of course, if. If you know, Andy find anything throughout this show, we'll bring it to you as soon as we can. But Charlie Kirk, obviously known for this America Comeback tour, routinely speaking at events put on by Turning Point USA at colleges across the nation. And he was known for allowing students to come up to the mic and debate him, which is pretty rare. I mean, this was really. He was one of a kind at. At this, and he was the best at what he did it. Honestly, I can't believe I'm saying what he did. Like, it still hasn't hit me that.
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We'Re speaking about Charlie Kirk in past tense. It's just like, it's so horrible. Obviously, he drew massive crowds, mostly of college students. You know, they're wearing all these MAGA hats. You see Videos of Charlie Kirk throwing another turning point. USA staffers just throwing MAGA hats. And obviously a lot of liberals came to see it as well. They were there to either protest him.
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Being on campus or to debate him personally. And the tour became a viral sensation. Video clips of Charlie.
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This is just minutes before Charlie Kirk died today.
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He's throwing a MAGA hats out at the crowd at Utah Valley University. And this is what the tour was. It was supposed to be positive, it was supposed to be hopeful, right, that people can have a conversation with the other side and have it be, you know, just a positive, constructive conversation, not one that leads to violence. Charlie was very good at putting these leftist college students in their place with facts and not feelings. It was truly incredible to watch him change hearts and minds on the spot. Even in these minute and 30 second reels that they would post on social media, you could see some people changing their mind, you know, because Charlie Kirk was questioning them and challenging them on their beliefs. And sometimes they, these liberals or these students, they just, they couldn't even defend what they were saying because, you know, like I said, Charlie came with facts. And when facts are on your side and when truth is on your side, it's a very difficult person to debate. Of course, some of the liberal tears and foot stomping, you know, all of that was just a cherry on top. But, you know, you could see all of the excitement on that college campus, not just today, but anytime that Charlie took the stage. It, you know, the tour is partly responsible for President Trump's reelection and the massive shift from left to right among Gen Z voters. Truly, Charlie Kirk and Scott Pressler carried the 2024 election on their backs. They are amazing at what they do. Scott Pressler got people voting, he got people out to vote. And Charlie Kirk told people how to vote. Not because he told them, you know, you should go vote for Donald Trump, but these are the facts. I'm going to lay out all the facts and then let you decide. And he was really wonderful at doing that. But for years he dedicated to building the conservative movement, especially among young people, putting on conferences, events, drawing hundreds of thousands of high school students, college kids, speakers, politicians. And he did a really wonderful job of fostering a community and kind of bridging the gap between some of the older conservatives and the younger conservatives. It wasn't just young and old, it was this cohesive party and movement. I mean, he brought all of these like minded people together. And I want to play this video from Charlie Kirk show on election night just after he found out that President Trump had won. So if we could cue that up.
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Fox News decides Donald Trump is President of the United States.
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We've got our republic back, folks.
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Let's go, everyone.
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Stand up. Let's go. We're not going. We're not going back. Clean up. Clean up. Clean up.
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The wrong.
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Huge win.
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Oh, my gosh.
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To see Charlie and Erica embracing.
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She's embracing her husband, who was shedding a tear. That is a man who not just saw all of the hard work he did for years pay off. That is a man who loved his country. He loved his country so much, he built an entire brand, started a nonprofit. He did the actual work to reach young voters and convince them to uphold Christian and conservative values, to preserve the.
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Country that he loved so much. That is sacrifice. That is love of country.
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And, you know, I've talked about Charlie.
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Kirk and what amazing work he'd done.
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On the campaign trail before, but I am ashamed that I haven't said it.
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More often, and I'm ashamed that it took something as horrific as this to say thank you to Charlie. Again, we take these voices for granted, and Charlie was a voice of this generation. He was a voice of this movement, and he was a man of God. And I truly believe that God was working through him to spread the word and spread all of the good work that he was doing.
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So, obviously, lots of words of support and reaction have come out since this news. So if we could pull up President.
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Trump's Truth Social post, this is what he said.
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President Trump. I mean, I kept seeing some reports online, and I thought to myself, this can't be true. This can't be true. This can't be true. You know, holding on, because I saw, really, America's Voice reported right away that or one of the first that he had passed away. But then I kept seeing other reports of, you know, he's in surgery, he's getting blood, he's in critical condition, but he's stable. And when I saw President Trump's post, that's when it became real for not just me, but I think, for. For everyone. Right? So he said, the great and even legendary Charlie Kirk is dead. 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, Melania. And my sympathies go out to his beautiful wife, Erica and family. Charlie, we love you. Also, statements from Democrats. California Governor Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, New York City Mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani, Senator Elizabeth Warren. All of these liberals, these Democrats, they are coming out saying, of course there is no place for political violence. And I agree with those statements. I just wish they kept that energy while they were fanning the flames. The entire time. I am angry because, you know, part of me was thinking, well, how am I going to do this show? Can I just pay tribute to Charlie Kirk and then get mad at all the liberals tomorrow? But then I saw Charlie Kirk posted on X just hours before he died. He was really riled up about the Charlotte light rail incident. The Ukrainian refugee who lost her life on American soil, he's riled up about that. And he said, this is political. So I'm making it political because Charlie Kirk would have wanted me to make it political. These statements about there is no place for political violence. Too little, too late. This is the party that encouraged citizens. Maxine Waters, get up in the faces of elected officials, get up in the faces of cabinet members. That was during Trump's first term. This is the party of Holly weirdos. Johnny Depp saying, it's been an awful long time since someone's tried to take out the president. Madonna saying, you know it, maybe someone needs to burn the White House down. Even less so, though. Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail saying that Trump supporters are a basket of deplorables. President Joe Biden called us garbage. Whether they're fanning the flames of political violence or they're just calling us dumb or horrible or evil, they are telling us how they feel about us. They are showing their most deranged followers how to treat us. They hate President Trump and by extension, they hate anyone who helped him get elected. They've set the tone that President Trump is Hitler, that Elon Musk is Hitler. So any, you know, if Trump is Hitler, if ICE agents and other members of the Trump administration or the Gestapo of the voters and the supporters are Nazis, this is what happens. You can't see political violence take place in this country and then put out a tweet and think that your hands are clean. Do I need to remind everyone what CNN was talking about just a few days ago? This was Abby Phillip on her show. There's a panel of everyone, her and Van Jones, they're all talking about how Charlie Kirk is racist. Watch this.
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But also, I mean, people like Charlie Kirk, Van, they've been looking for opportunities to make this some sort of, like, reciprocal George Floyd sit situation. And that's the part that I think he's almost giving away the game and it's sad to see a lot of people going along with it.
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I was mad on Monday or Tuesday, whatever day we played this on the show. That video made me mad. Well, it makes me even more mad now knowing that Abby Phillip thought that it was justified to call Charlie Kirk a racist, which is just completely baseless. They just call people, people on the left, just call people on the right racist willy nilly. It doesn't matter. There doesn't need to be proof. They just say that we're all racist and homophobic and xenophobic. They don't try to understand where we're coming from like Charlie Kirk does. Charlie Kirk tries to understand and have constructive conversations with people on the left. The left doesn't do that. So Abby Phillip and Van Jones, they're on a, a panel saying, yeah, this guy's a racist and he's going to try to jump on this and it's going to be an opportune moment. Well, remember that sentiment because that was when Charlie Kirk was alive. Now, Katie Tur on MSNBC also insinuated that now that Charlie Kirk is no longer with us, President Trump is going to use this for something.
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Watch this.
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Because as we were just talking about a moment ago with, with Alan, after one of the Doge employees was allegedly attacked in Washington D.C. that's what Donald Trump used as justification to send in federal troops into Washington D.C. to get things under control. The carjacking situation, he used that. And I know it's hard to predict the future, Mark, but you can imagine the administration using this as a justification for something.
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I must admit I'm, I'm at a.
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Loss to guess as to what happens next. But Kirk.
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We are not going to use this for something. There is nothing to be used. Charlie Kirk is dead. We're not using this to push a narrative. We are grieving. We are grieving. And people on the left should also realize that they have a part in this. They are, they are assuming that we are going to use this for something that's disgusting. It's reprehensible. I've really. I've never seen coverage of someone dying or someone being shot. I've never seen something so reprehensible in my life. Can we play the other clips that we have from the same MSNBC report? Yeah.
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In which a shooting like this happens.
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Yeah.
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And again, I emphasize what you just emphasized. We don't know any full details of this, that we don't know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration or. So we have no Idea, but.
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I can't imagine what would make someone say something so. And asinine. This was a Trump supporter celebrating, so they shot Charlie Kirk in the neck. This was supposed to be, what, like an accident? I don't know why they're not realizing that. This is political violence. Say it out loud. It's political violence. Then we have this other video, Matthew David, saying that he had it coming, because, you know, Charlie Kirk says some. Some wild things. So, you know, he had it coming.
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Watch this.
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And I think that's the environment we're in, that, that people just. You can't stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that's the unfortunate environment we're in.
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Blaming Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk doesn't say anything inflammatory. Charlie Kirk uses facts. He is very calm when he speaks to these people on college campuses. I mean, to insinuate that if you just say something that will maybe get people riled up, you, you know, you deserve what's coming to you. Is that what he's insinuating, that Charlie Kirk deserved to die because. Or we should have just expected this? We cannot operate under that notion just because political violence is on the rise in this country. We do not have to accept that. We don't just have to say, oh, well, this is how it is now. So if you, if you say things that liberals don't like, just be prepared to die. Because President Trump, what is it? Three assassination attempts now on President Trump's life. We saw him get shot in the ear on live television on July 13. In 2024, another crazed man decided to try to kill him on his golf course in Florida last summer. We do not have to accept this. This is wrong. It's wrong. And of course, people in the media are just, they're chomping at the bit to, to get Republicans to go back on their feelings on the First Amendment, on the Second Amendment. So Congressman Randy Fine posted this on X. If we could pull this post up. Just absolutely horrible. He was saying that he got a text message from a. A reporter in Florida saying, you know, is this something that. Good afternoon. So this is a text from A.G. jankarski. Never heard of the guy. But this is a reporter reaching out to Congressman Randy Fine. Good afternoon. Was wondering if Charlie Kirk getting shot affects your position on campus carry. If gun control had been in play, could the tragedy have been avoided? What a disgusting thing to ask. I mean, seriously. So can you pull this back up? Because Congressman Fine responded to him saying, I learned that Charlie Kirk was shot 23 minutes ago. I am repulsed that you would even think to ask a political question when all anyone should be doing is praying for his survival. Never contact me again. Amen. What is wrong with these people? They're disgusting. They're evil. Again, this is not. This is not. First of all, Charlie Kirk would not want anyone to go back on their viewpoints on the first or Second Amendment or any of the amendments. By the way, he was a constitutional conservative, a Christian man. I mean, for any. I mean, for anyone to even ask that question. You have no idea who Charlie Kirk was. No idea. And it gets worse because deranged leftists online are. Are celebrating. Watch this. It says, Charlie Kirk shot in Utah. Charlie Kirk shot people celebrating when you've been manifesting for it to happen, but it ends up happening to Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk was just shot in the neck at a Utah event. This girl is celebrating. There are. I knew that there was evil in this world. I know that there is evil, but that is incomprehensible evil. I don't even know how you fix that kind of evil. I hope that these people find God. Truly, I hope that they find God. I hope that they can turn their lives around and realize that what they're doing is so disgusting. They are a part of something that is so horrible. And I hope that they turn their backs on it and never look back. I really hope that these people can learn from this and realize that we are. We are one human race and we have to start looking out for each other. We can't keep pointing the finger if someone believes something different than you or what have you. We are all human. We have to start seeing humanity in other people again. We are at a turning point in this nation. Charlie Kirk was right about that. And this is what the left wants. The left might put out posts on X saying we don't believe in political violence, but they've been fanning those flames. The left wants us to be afraid. We see this not only with Charlie Kirk, not only with President Trump, but we see Riley Gaines on college campuses. These deranged leftists trying to block her and attack her. The same thing has happened to Tommy Lahren and other conservative voices in this. In this movement. They go and speak on college campuses and they're met with this intimidation. Here's a statement from FBI Director Cash Patel. The subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody. This is an Update as of 6:21pm Eastern Time. He said, thank you to the local and state authorities in Utah for your partnership with the FBI. We will provide updates when able. So, thankfully, that's an update from earlier in the show when we didn't think that the correct gunman was in custody. Now, they do have the gunman in custody, so we're thankful for that. But the left wants us to be silenced. We cannot let them win. We have to continue this movement and be unafraid in doing so. All Charlie Kirk did was agree to have a civil conversation with people he disagrees with, to have a constructive conversation, to have a debate, to challenge their way of thinking in a professional manner, in a calm manner. And he died for that. But he leaves behind an amazing legacy. His work, his voice, his commitment to this nation will be remembered. And I want to say again how deeply sorry I am for this massive loss. And I want to end the show tonight with a prayer. I know a lot of people in the chat are sharing in my. My feelings on this. I mean, everyone is just apoplectic. I mean, why would someone want him dead like this?
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Prayers.
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So I just want to end the show with this. And I will see you back here tomorrow, hopefully with some more updates, and we'll bring them to you when we can. But in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of our God, rest in peace. Amen.
Episode 131: Rest In Peace Charlie Kirk — Hayley Caronia
Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Hayley Caronia
Tonight’s episode departs from Nightly Scroll’s usual fiery commentary, turning somber in the wake of tragic news: conservative leader Charlie Kirk has been assassinated at an event in Utah. Hayley Caronia, joined by her producer, memorializes Kirk’s legacy, reflects on political violence, and responds passionately to the way Kirk’s death is being handled in the media and by political figures. The episode blends tribute, fact-reporting, and sharp critique aimed especially at the response from liberal commentators and politicians.
[03:00]
[03:43–05:32]
Hayley invites listeners to submit stories and remembrances of Charlie Kirk, even reading tributes already received:
Producer's Comment
[05:32]
[06:14–07:40]
[07:40–11:09]
Emphasis on Kirk’s ability to change minds through fact-based arguments.
Attributes the shift among Gen Z voters and Trump’s reelection, in part, to Kirk’s and Scott Pressler’s activism:
“Truly, Charlie Kirk and Scott Pressler carried the 2024 election on their backs.”
[09:05]
Kirk’s efforts at bridging generations within the conservative movement and creating a community around conservative youth activism.
[11:09–12:44]
Plays an audio clip from Election Night, highlighting Kirk’s emotion:
“He loved his country so much, he built an entire brand, started a nonprofit. He did the actual work to reach young voters and convince them to uphold Christian and conservative values…”
[11:40]
Hayley expresses regret:
“I am ashamed that I haven’t said it more often, and I’m ashamed that it took something as horrific as this to say thank you to Charlie.”
[12:15]
[12:44–20:40]
“‘The great and even legendary Charlie Kirk is dead. 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…’”
Abby Phillip (CNN): Calls Kirk “racist”; Hayley calls this angering and baseless.
[16:53–17:15]
“They just say that we’re all racist and homophobic and xenophobic. They don’t try to understand where we’re coming from like Charlie Kirk does…”
[17:15]
Katie Tur (MSNBC): Speculates on Republicans “using this as justification for something.” Hayley is appalled:
“We are not going to use this for something. … Charlie Kirk is dead. We’re not using this to push a narrative. We are grieving. … They are assuming that we are going to use this for something, that’s disgusting. It’s reprehensible…”
[18:53–19:01]
Further MSNBC commentary:
“Blaming Charlie Kirk. … To insinuate that if you just say something that will maybe get people riled up, you deserve what’s coming to you… We do not have to accept this. This is wrong.”
[20:42–20:57]
[21:00–22:20]
“I am repulsed that you would even think to ask a political question when all anyone should be doing is praying for his survival. Never contact me again.”
[21:55]
[22:20–25:00]
“We are all human. We have to start seeing humanity in other people again. … We are at a turning point in this nation. Charlie Kirk was right about that.”
[23:30]
[25:00–26:00]
[26:00–27:49]
“He was so polite and so nice and so lovely to everyone, and everyone adored him. … It was an honor to meet him.”
— Producer Guy [05:32]
“Truly, Charlie Kirk and Scott Pressler carried the 2024 election on their backs.”
— Hayley Caronia [09:05]
“I am ashamed that I haven't said it more often, and I'm ashamed that it took something as horrific as this to say thank you to Charlie.”
— Hayley Caronia [12:15]
“We are not going to use this for something. … Charlie Kirk is dead. We’re not using this to push a narrative. We are grieving.”
— Hayley Caronia [19:01]
“To insinuate that if you just say something that will maybe get people riled up, you deserve what's coming to you. … We do not have to accept this. This is wrong.”
— Hayley Caronia [21:00]
“We are all human. We have to start seeing humanity in other people again. … We are at a turning point in this nation. Charlie Kirk was right about that.”
— Hayley Caronia [23:30]
President Trump’s post:
“The great and even legendary Charlie Kirk is dead. 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. Melania and my sympathies go out to his beautiful wife, Erica and family. Charlie, we love you.”
— Truth Social, read by Hayley [12:54]
In her signature direct and emotional manner, Hayley Caronia delivers a tribute that’s both personal and political, refusing to depoliticize the assassination while mourning the loss of a “giant in the conservative movement.” She emphasizes unity, steadfastness in values, and the need to resist normalizing political violence or letting it silence dissent. The episode is a blend of raw mourning, conservative rallying cry, and a media critique, all conveyed with unapologetic urgency.