Charlie Kirk, considered close to US President Donald Trump and founder of a youth organization called Turning Point USA, was shot dead during a political event on Thursday. His death has once again given rise to a heated debate in American politics.
Charlie Kirk played an important role in the Make America Great Again campaign through Turning Point USA. He was known for his sharp and controversial comments, especially when it came to liberal views, immigrants and the LGBT community.
A Staunch Supporter Of Israel
Kirk always openly supported Israel. He described this country as the “front line of Western civilization”. When the US opened its embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, Kirk was present there and called that visit “eye-opening”. He also said that his organization would always stand with Israel.
He supported Israeli military attacks on Gaza, and when Israel waged war in the Palestinian territories in 2023, Kirk said: “Israel has every right to respond with overwhelming force”. He flatly denied that Israel was targeting civilians or starving Palestinians. He shared content on his show that denied facts confirming starvation in Gaza and pushed Israeli propaganda.
According to The Times of Israel, Kirk often debated the Gaza war with students and made videos of those debates public. In July 2025, he shared a video in which he was “defending Israel against accusations that it was starving Palestinians”, The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported.
Israeli leaders mourned Kirk’s death. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, paid tribute to Kirk, calling him “a lion-hearted friend of Israel” and “fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilisation”. He also said he had spoken to Kirk a few weeks earlier and invited him to visit Israel.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called him “an incredible friend of Israel” and “a fearless warrior for truth and freedom”. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli praised Kirk as a symbol of “the Judeo-Christian values that unite Israel and America”, while Israel’s right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned it was “the murder of the messenger of a different opinion” and could lead to “copycat killings”.
Controversial Comments About The Muslim Community
Kirk has also faced criticism for anti-Muslim remarks. When Ugandan-Indian Muslim Democrat leader Zohran Mamdani won the New York City primary, Kirk posted on X, “24 years ago a group of Muslims killed 2,753 people on 9/11. Now a Muslim Socialist is on pace to run New York City”.
This comment was heavily criticized and was described as extremely Islamophobic. In another post, he wrote, “It’s not Islamophobia to notice that Muslims want to import values into the West that seek to destabilise our civilization”.
Kirk often supported Trump’s policy of banning immigration from Muslim countries, saying that immigrants from Muslim-majority countries were a threat to the Western world. His views were in line with those of right-wing groups in Europe, particularly the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, which holds that Muslim immigration is intended to displace so-called “native populations”.
Political Polarization And Reactions
Although the attacker has not yet been identified, Kirk’s murder has been turned into a political weapon by the MAGA camp and its associated media platforms. Trump described Kirk as “legendary” and blamed the “radical left”. Fox News pro-MAGA anchor Jesse Watters told viewers that the movement would “avenge” Kirk’s death.
These statements have made the incident not just a personal loss but a symbol of a clash of ideologies. Critics say Kirk has left a divisive legacy, which his supporters are now using to target opponents and organize their supporters. His death has become another weapon in pro-Trump politics.
