The Megyn Kelly Show – Special Episode: "Charlie Kirk Dead at 31 – Assassination on Utah College Campus During Turning Point Event"

Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Megyn Kelly
Notable Guests and Contributors: Glenn Beck, Mark Halperin, Rich Lowry, Victor Davis Hanson, Emily Jinsky, Vivek Ramaswamy, Father Mike Schmitz, Justin Hickens, among others

Episode Overview

This urgent, grief-stricken episode covers the shocking assassination of Turning Point USA founder and conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, age 31, shot and killed during a live campus event at Utah Valley University. Megyn Kelly leads a real-time response with eyewitness accounts, reactions from fellow commentators and friends, analysis of the attack's implications, and an outpouring of emotion and calls for national reflection. The show is structured as breaking news, memorial, and political-cultural commentary.

Key Themes & Insights

• Breaking News Coverage: Immediate details on the shooting, rumors, confirmations, confusion about the suspect, and the final official word of Kirk's death.
• Personal Reminiscences: Emotional tributes, personal stories, and reflections from friends, colleagues, and family about Kirk’s life, faith, and cultural impact.
• Political and Societal Impact: Ramifications for free speech, political polarization, and the targeting of public figures; parallels to other eras of political violence.
• Anger & Calls for Justice: Expressions of rage, frustration, and calls for unity along with a demand for accountability and reflection on cultural rhetoric leading to violence.
• Faith & Hope: Christian perspectives on suffering, the meaning of Kirk’s life and death, and a search for consolation and purpose in tragedy.
• National Mourning: Bi-partisan reactions from leaders including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama, lowering of flags to half-staff, and a sense of collective American loss.
• Calls to Action: Urgent demands for security improvements for public figures, a societal reckoning with hate speech and fringe political violence, and a commitment to continue Kirk’s legacy.

Episode Structure and Major Segments

1. Immediate Breaking News and Event Summary

• [00:00] – [01:28]:
  • Megyn reports that Charlie Kirk has been shot at a public Turning Point event at Utah Valley University.
  • "Charlie’s been shot. He’s been shot. It appeared in the neck." – Megyn Kelly ([00:00])
  • Eyewitness video is described; unclear on Kirk's condition.
• [01:28] – [03:00]:
  • Kelly confirms details from President Trump and the FBI; uncertainty about suspect identity.
  • Emphasizes the enormity of the act and Kirk's influence in conservative youth culture.

2. Immediate Analysis and Personal Reaction

• [03:00] – [08:34]:
  • Kelly reflects on Kirk's journey from obscurity to national prominence.
  • "Charlie, who started as Don Jr.'s bag boy… rose to head up one of the most powerful... organizations in the country." – Megyn Kelly ([05:40])

3. First Featured Guests: Mark Halperin & Rich Lowry

• [08:34] – [21:12]:
  • Halperin struggles to speak, remarking on Kirk’s outsized, unique role:
    • "He's a content creator, he's a strategist, he's a thinker, he's a doer..." ([08:48])
  • Lowry highlights Kirk’s transformative effect on youth engagement:
    • "He had a different theory of the case. So that’s extraordinary..." ([12:25])
  • Discussion about the normalization of threats and violence against commentators.
  • Anger and uncertainty over the magnitude of the loss and potential political fallout.

4. Security, Threats, and National Parallels

• [14:03] – [24:10]:
  • Kelly, Halperin, and Beck discuss escalating security concerns for conservative public figures.
  • "I travel with security too. This is not normal." – Megyn Kelly ([14:03])
  • Parallels to 1960s political violence; calls for restraint and reflection.
  • "Is it comparable to the death of Martin Luther King? … I think there's parallels…” – Mark Halperin ([23:36])

5. Eyewitness and Event Details

• [25:02] – [40:07]:
  • More on event logistics: Kirk was shot from about 200 yards away, possibly by a marksman.
  • Eyewitness Justin Hickens recounts the chaos:
    • "There was thousands of people there… heard a big, loud shot. I saw a bunch of blood come out of Charlie." – Justin Hickens ([37:03])
  • The typical civic character of Kirk’s events, now shattered.

6. Political & Media Response

• [41:02] – [62:42]:
  • Guests analyze the political and cultural implications.
  • Discussion of initial media spin and criticisms, e.g., MSNBC speculating on policy consequences.
  • Kelly, Beck, and others highlight double standards and the dangers of inflammatory rhetoric.
  • "They're going to pick us off one by one... now that doesn't work, they just pick people off one by one." – Glenn Beck ([63:16])
• [51:20]:
  • Update: The man previously in custody appears not to be the shooter. Confusion remains.

7. Deeper Cultural and Political Reckoning

• [62:42] – [79:22]:
  • Discussion expands to cultural malaise, radicalization, campus security failures, and alleged political motivations.
  • Parallels drawn to the racial killing in Charlotte, NC, the effect of media, and activist groups.
  • "There needs to... be an FBI and DOJ investigation... because this is not just crazy people on the streets. This is coordinated. This is planned. This is a color revolution." – Glenn Beck ([66:20])
  • Guests weigh in on why Kirk’s role as a youth leader made him particularly impactful and vulnerable.

8. Official Confirmation of Kirk’s Death & Grieving

• [79:22] – [87:57]:
  • Turning Point COO’s statement officially confirms Kirk’s death.
  • "It’s official… Earlier this afternoon Charlie went to his eternal reward with Jesus Christ in heaven." – Statement read by Megyn Kelly ([88:02])
  • National mourning: President Trump, President Biden, and Barack Obama issue statements of condolence (Trump orders White House flag at half-staff).
  • Kelly and guests transition into grief, personal memories, and spiritual reflection.

9. Faith, Meaning, and Eulogy

• [91:56] – [132:06]:
  • Emily Jinsky and Father Mike Schmitz offer religious consolation and context.
  • "All things happen for the good of those who are called according to his purpose." – Emily Jinsky ([91:56])
  • Father Mike: "The proper human response to evil is anger. God's response to evil is anger." ([124:57])
  • Christianity’s history of persecution and martyrdom invoked.
  • Reflections on how Kirk’s faith integrated into his politics and public leadership.

10. Legacy, Calls for Action, and Moving Forward

• [132:06] – End:
  • Megyn Kelly and guests stress the importance of continuing Kirk’s work and not succumbing to fear or silence.
  • "We must pick up the baton where Charlie left it... and fight for a better America..." – Ben Shapiro (quoted at [134:02])
  • Video montages and stories honoring Kirk’s character, debate style, and family-first values.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Charlie’s been shot. He’s been shot. It appeared in the neck. … We can pray, pray, pray God that he survived this.” – Megyn Kelly ([00:00])
• "He's a content creator, he's a strategist, he's a thinker, he's a doer." – Mark Halperin ([08:48])
• "We cannot live in a society where, whether you’re a pundit or a president, you cannot appear in public to say how you feel.” – Megyn Kelly ([06:58])
• “This is not normal. … The level of threats that now public figures are having to put up with … is un-American.” – Megyn Kelly ([14:03])
• "If this goes this way... they've taken away someone who was determined to change America." – Mark Halperin ([23:36])
• “If that video is real, there’s no way he can survive this.” – Megyn Kelly ([24:44])
• “Prayer is the most powerful tool we have.” – Rich Lowry ([40:07])
• "If, God forbid, we lose Charlie, we can't afford to lose voices. … They’re serious about stopping voices." – Glenn Beck ([71:22])
• “Charlie has done an extraordinary organization he’s built, and his capacity at a relatively young age to do so many different extraordinary things is testament to his hard work, his intelligence and his curiosity.” – Mark Halperin ([09:40])
• "He must live. … His loss would hit too many people too hard." – Mark Halperin ([34:40])
• "He became even bigger and more important than that … He created the single most important conservative political organization in America." – Ben Shapiro, quoted ([134:02])
• "Women want to be able. They want to be taken care of. I know this, like, super provocative. Like, deep down, they want a man to be able to provide for them financially ... The money you save is not worth the honor that you compromise." – Charlie Kirk ([150:53])

Timeline of Important Segments (Timestamps Refer to Transcript Time)

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00-01:28| Breaking news: initial report & video of shooting | | 05:40 | Kirk’s rise in conservative politics (Megyn Kelly) | | 08:34 | Mark Halperin: emotional, situating Kirk historically | | 12:25 | Rich Lowry: youth vote, Trump coalition | | 14:03 | Security discussion for conservative public figures | | 25:02 | Details of shooter’s position; confusion about suspect | | 37:03 | Eyewitness Justin Hickens account | | 41:02 | National mourning: shock and comparison to 1960s, escalation of threats | | 51:20 | University confusion: suspect in custody may not be shooter | | 63:16 | Glenn Beck: speech about targeting, political polarization, and dangerous climate | | 79:22 | Official confirmation: Kirk's death | | 91:56 | Emily Jinsky: Reflection on Kirk, Gen Z, digital impact | | 121:09 | Father Mike Schmitz: grief, anger, faith in response to evil | | 134:02 | Ben Shapiro tribute | | 145:13 | Vivek Ramaswamy: mourning, legacy, risk, and moving forward |

Episode Tone & Language

The language of this episode is raw, emotional, and urgent. Both guests and host speak candidly, often through tears, about the personal friendships, the horror and rage of the attack, faith and hope in the face of evil, and the necessity to move forward courageously. There is a recurring tension between anger and calls for unity, between faith and the secular quest for justice, and between personal loss and national responsibility.

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Charlie Kirk’s assassination is seen as a watershed moment for American political culture, free speech, and civic engagement.
• There is deep concern about escalating political violence and the need for collective action—both cultural and legal—to restore public civility and safety.
• The episode ends as an extended eulogy for Kirk, with moving tributes to his faith, force of character, and transformative impact on young conservatives.
• Guests and Megyn Kelly call for Americans—especially on the Right—not to cower but to boldly continue Kirk’s work and to “fight fire with water,” not hate for hate.
• Calls abound for investigation, accountability, and a national reckoning with the cultural conditions that produced this event.

Recommended for listeners seeking:

• Real-time analysis and emotional response to a national tragedy
• Insight into the state of American political and cultural life
• Memorialization of a prominent conservative youth leader
• Honest discussion about the impact and consequences of political violence in the US

End of Summary.