The White House wished the late Charlie Kirk on what would have been his 33rd birthday, calling him a “Christian martyr”. Kirk, 31, was allegedly shot dead by Tyler Robinson on September 10, 2025, during an appearance at a campus event in Utah. The shooting happened around 12:20 pm local time during a student Q&A at UVU in Orem.
The White House took to Instagram to share a photo of PresidentDonald Trump and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. A text overlay reads, “National Day of Remembrance For Charlie Kirk.”
The caption says, “Today, on what would have been his 33rd birthday, our Nation honors the loving memory of Charlie Kirk - a father, husband, Christian martyr, & titan of the conservative movement. We renew our resolve to always defend our principles of truth, faith, & the open exchange of ideas.”
Donald Trump honors Charlie Kirk at Arizona rally
On Wednesday, October 14, the late Kirk’s birthday, Trump told rally attendees in Arizona to vote Republican in honor of the late conservative activist. Trump made the comments while stumping for Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and other downballot Republicans alongside the Arizona-Nevada border. This was the second stop of his three-legged 2026 campaign tour across western states.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, October 14, the late Kirk’s birthday, Trump told rally attendees in Arizona to vote Republican in honor of the late conservative activist. Trump made the comments while stumping for Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and other downballot Republicans alongside the Arizona-Nevada border. This was the second stop of his three-legged 2026 campaign tour across western states.
{{/usCountry}}“I also want to say a happy birthday to a great, great person, a great man, and a great friend of mine — a friend that helped me with our elections all the time,” the president said near the end of his speech. “Thirty-three years old, he would be today, Charlie Kirk, the great Charlie Kirk.”
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He added, “We love you, Erika and the family.”
Kirk shared a very close relationship with Trump since the 2016 election. He was originally a Ted Cruz supporter, but later went on to become one of Trump’s most loyal supporters.
Kirk, a Trump ally, was hailed by the commander-in-chief as a “warrior of light” in 2018, the Chicago Tribune reported. He was one of very few people who golfed with Trump at Mar-a-Lago two days before the 2025 inauguration, according to The New York Times.
A frequent visitor to the White House, Kirk was credited by Trump with galvanizing and mobilizing the youth vote that helped Trump win the 2024 presidential election. Kirk was also a trusted friend and adviser to Trump and his family.