Sep 11, 2025 - Politics & Policy

JD Vance mourns his "true friend" Charlie Kirk

Avery Lotz

JD Vance and Charlie Kirk, wearing black tuxedos and bow ties, laugh on a stage in front of a drum set. — Then-Vice President-elect JD Vance and Charlie Kirk during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball on Jan. 19. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Vice President JD Vance shared a tribute late Wednesday to his "true friend" Charlie Kirk, whom he credited with helping the Republican ticket win back the White House.

The big picture: The killing of Kirk, the Turning Point USA co-founder and leading voice of MAGA's youth movement, sent shockwaves through the U.S. political landscape and drew condemnation from across the ideological spectrum.

Driving the news: Vance canceled a scheduled trip to New York City to mark the anniversary of 9/11 on Thursday. Instead, he will travel to Utah to pay his respects to Kirk's family, the Washington Post reports.

What he's saying: "Charlie was fascinated by ideas and always willing to learn and change his mind," Vance wrote in a lengthy X post.

He said that Kirk, like him, was "skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016" but "came to see President Trump as the only figure capable of moving American politics away from the globalism that had dominated for our entire lives."
Vance said Kirk's organizing "didn't just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government."

Catch up quick: Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday during an appearance at Utah Valley University for his "American Comeback Tour" of college campuses.

Police are still searching for the shooter.
Two people of interest were detained but were later released, with officials saying "[t]here are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals."

Go deeper:

Add Axios on Google

JD Vance mourns his "true friend" Charlie Kirk

What to read next