Share
News

White House Releases Tribute to Charlie Kirk: 'You Have No Idea the Fire You Ignited'

Share

The White House released a touching tribute to the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, centering the video on the words of his wife, Erika Kirk, and footage from vigils in his memory across the country.

Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA and a longtime ally to President Donald Trump, was assassinated on Sept. 10 during a campus event at Utah Valley University.

Senior White House officials have repeatedly honored Kirk, who was among the most influential conservative activists in our generation, as well as a devoted Christian, husband, and father of two young children.

Their most recent tribute came in the form of a video posted to social media, which included a montage of footage from his life and from Charlie Kirk vigils hosted across the country and around the world.

The video was also tied together by a Sept. 12 speech from Erika Kirk, which marked her first public appearance since her husband’s assassination.

She warned those who killed him, “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited.”

“He wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith,” Erika Kirk said as the White House video showed footage from the vigils, including lit candles and pictures of her late husband.

“Now, and for all eternity, he will stand at his Savior’s side, wearing the glorious crown of a martyr,” Erika Kirk continued.

The tribute also showed some of Kirk’s earliest news appearances, including several on Fox News.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA, arguably the most influential conservative political organization in the nation, as a teenager.

A recurring theme in the tribute was the close identification which American conservatives and Christians have with Kirk, with many holding signs at vigils saying, “We Are Charlie.”

His admirers can be found around the world, with the video including clips of rallies in foreign countries at which attendees chanted Kirk’s name.

Related:
Maher Praises Trump for Not Playing 'Silly Games' in the Middle East

The video ended with Kirk’s reaction to Trump’s electoral victory last year.

When Kirk received the news that Trump had won the 2024 election, he immediately had a massive grin on his face and put his head in his hands in joyful disbelief.

Erika Kirk ran over and gave him a hug, and Kirk gave thanks to God for the victory.

“I want you to remember that we did not earn this,” Kirk told his audience.

“This is God’s mercy on our country.”

In the days since his death, America has indeed seen a renewed interest in church attendance, Bible reading, and political involvement centered on saving the nation and bringing her back to the God of the Bible.

May we all remember with Charlie Kirk that our nation has sinned grievously against God and that we need the mercy of the Lord more than ever in these dark days.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , , , ,
Share
Josh Manning is Editor at Large at The Western Journal. He holds a masters in public policy from Harvard University and has a background in higher education. He recently co-authored Out of the Shadows: My Life Inside the Wild World of Hunter Biden, the tell-all memoir of Lunden Roberts's tumultuous relationship with Hunter Biden and Stolen Valor: The Military Fraud and Government Failures of Tim Walz.
Josh Manning grew up in the South and developed a love of history, politics, and government studies thanks to a life-changing history and civics teacher named Mr. McBride.

He holds an MPP from Harvard University and a BA from Lyon College, a small but distinguished liberal arts college where later in his career he served as an interim vice president.

While in school he did everything possible to confront, discomfit, and drive ivy league liberals to their knees.

After a number of years working in academe, he moved to digital journalism and opinion. Since that point, he has held various leadership positions at The Western Journal.

He's married to a gorgeous blonde who played in the 1998 NCAA women's basketball championship game, and he has two teens who hate doing dishes more than poison. He makes life possible for two boxers -- "Hank" Rearden Manning and "Tucker" Carlson Manning -- and a pitbull named Nikki Haley "Gracie" Manning.

He recently co-authored Out of the Shadows: My Life Inside the Wild World of Hunter Biden, the tell-all memoir of Lunden Roberts's tumultuous relationship with Hunter Biden and Stolen Valor: The Military Fraud and Government Failures of Tim Walz.
Education
MPP from Harvard University, BA from Lyon College
Languages Spoken
English, tiny fragments of college French
Topics of Expertise
Writing, politics, Christianity, social media curation, higher education, firearms




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation