Rubio, Hegseth, Vance, and Others Flood the Internet with Touching Tributes to Charlie Kirk
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Vice President J.D. Vance posted moving tributes to Charlie Kirk Thursday to mark the first anniversary of his passing.
“Charlie Kirk had a unique gift for articulating the good — the goodness of family, faith, and America,” Rubio wrote on X. “One year ago today, he was killed for it. We’ll honor his legacy by building great things and holding to account the enemies of civilization.”
Charlie Kirk had a unique gift for articulating the good — the goodness of family, faith, and America.
One year ago today, he was killed for it.
We’ll honor his legacy by building great things and holding to account the enemies of civilization. pic.twitter.com/nYooF7xua5
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) September 10, 2026
His post included a video that showed Kirk at rallies and events and talking with President Donald Trump. A voiceover of Rubio describing what Kirk meant to the country also played in the background.
“And here was this voice that inspired a movement,” Rubio could be heard saying. “The movement in which young Americans were told [that] the highest calling we are called to is to be in a successful marriage and to raise productive children. That taught them that ours was not a great country, but the greatest, most exceptional nation that has ever existed in the history of all of mankind.”
Vance simply shared photos of himself with Kirk and a message that read, “We love you CK, and miss you every day.”
We love you CK, and miss you every day. pic.twitter.com/nMgbYuIFej
— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 10, 2026
Hegseth wrote on X, “A year ago, we lost the incredible Charlie Kirk. His courage, conviction, and unwavering faith left a generational impact — and ignited a spiritual revival — inside our great Republic. We will never forget Charlie, but take great refuge in the fact that he is with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Well done, good and faithful servant.”
A year ago, we lost the incredible Charlie Kirk.
His courage, conviction, and unwavering faith left a generational impact — and ignited a spiritual revival — inside our great Republic.
We will never forget Charlie, but take great refuge in the fact that he is with his Lord and… pic.twitter.com/0qtvez77HU
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) September 10, 2026
The official X account for the White House posted a tribute video showing Kirk interacting with young students and speaking at college debates, along with pictures from his wedding and emotional moments he shared with his wife and children.
A voiceover of Kirk could be heard toward the end of the video in which he said, “That’s all pretty amazing evidence, not just intra-biblical evidence, but extrabiblical evidence that Jesus Christ was a real person. He lived a perfect life. He was crucified, died, and rose on the third day, and he is Lord.”
In loving memory of Charlie Kirk, a fearless patriot & man of unwavering faith who dedicated his life to America.
“It’s bigger than you, I want you to remember that… It’s bigger than me – you are here to make somebody else’s life better, the pursuit of liberty & freedom.”❤️ pic.twitter.com/3Xrf5dcFlP
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 12, 2025
Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing posted a message to X explaining that Kirk was flawed, but that he was killed for trying to speak truth, despite the risks of retaliation.
“It’s been one year since Charlie was murdered in the most significant political assassination of my lifetime. One year, and it feels like every day of that year was somehow a reaction to that horrible moment,” the post read. “Charlie had flaws, like any man. He was not killed for them. Charlie was murdered for what was best about him — for what was extraordinary about him: He spoke the truth with strength and love — two qualities we’ve been assured cannot coexist, and yet Charlie showed us that they can and must.”
“Some of the worst ugliness humans are capable of has been unleashed by Charlie’s death,” Boreing continued. “Evil performed for clicks, for money, and sometimes just for attention. Evil performed in the name of friendship. Evil performed in the name of God. Evil performed in the name of politics, both left and right. His death has been celebrated. His beloved wife has been mocked and scorned. His friends accused. His life’s work disparaged… He had a better heart than I do, but I will try to follow his lead.”
It’s been one year since Charlie was murdered in the most significant political assassination of my lifetime.
One year, and it feels like every day of that year was somehow a reaction to that horrible moment.
Charlie had flaws, like any man.
He was not killed for them.…
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) September 10, 2026
Kirk was assassinated last year at Utah Valley University during a Turning Point USA event, leaving behind his wife and two children.
Tyler Robinson, 23, currently stands accused of killing the conservative commentator for political reasons and is facing the death penalty.
Erika wrote a touching tribute to Kirk in The New York Times this week, in which she described the immediate aftermath of his death as a “fever dream,” but added that she knows he is in heaven.
Despite the grief, Erika wrote that she can still “stand and say without a shadow of a doubt that God is good.”
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