Vice President JD Vance dropped a poignant revelation on Monday, hosting a tribute episode of "The Charlie Kirk Show" to honor the late conservative activist who was tragically assassinated just days prior.
According to The New York Post, Vance openly credited Kirk for his political ascent, stating, “If it weren’t for Charlie Kirk, I would not be vice president of the United States.” This admission underscores the profound impact Kirk had on Vance’s journey to the White House.
Vance elaborated during the broadcast, speaking to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and reflecting on Kirk’s role in securing his nomination. “Charlie was maybe the most important person in both getting us across the finish line but actually getting me the nomination to begin with — it was his grassroots army,” he noted, a testament to the power of Kirk’s Turning Point USA network.
Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot in the neck during the first stop of his “American Comeback” tour at Utah Valley University. He succumbed to his injuries at a nearby hospital, leaving behind his wife Erika, a three-year-old daughter, and a one-year-old son.
The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson from St. George, Utah, has been arrested but is refusing to cooperate with the FBI investigation. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox revealed on Sunday that Robinson was “deeply indoctrinated in leftist ideology,” despite coming from a conservative family, hinting at a troubling ideological divide.
This horrifying act of violence in front of dozens of attendees has shaken the conservative community to its core. It’s a stark reminder of how heated rhetoric can spill over into real-world consequences, demanding a hard look at what fuels such hatred.
Vance used the tribute episode to call out what he sees as a dangerous trend, railing against “far-left” agitators who have targeted him, his family, and White House staff with threats. He pointed to a YouGov poll showing 24% of “very liberal” Americans were more likely to express joy over the deaths of political opponents, compared to just 4% of conservatives.
“This is not a both-sides problem,” Vance asserted, highlighting what he views as a statistical disparity in who justifies political violence. The data, he argued, paints a clear picture of where the real danger lies, and it’s not evenly distributed across the spectrum.
Personal anecdotes added weight to his words, as Vance shared how his own children faced vile harassment at Disneyland, with a woman screaming at his 5-year-old to disown him. These encounters, while not physically violent, expose a derangement that poisons civil discourse and sows seeds of hostility.
Vance didn’t hold back in criticizing certain media outlets and wealthy liberal donors for what he sees as complicity in justifying Kirk’s killing. He singled out a piece in The Nation titled “Charlie Kirk’s Legacy Deserves No Mourning,” accusing the writer of lying about Kirk’s views on affirmative action.
“It made it through the editors, and of course, liberal billionaires rewarded that attack,” Vance charged, pointing to past funding from the Ford Foundation and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations to The Nation’s affiliates. While The Nation and the Ford Foundation have distanced themselves from current ties, the vice president’s scrutiny raises questions about accountability in media narratives.
The Nation stood by their writer’s critique but clarified a misquoted statement, while their spokesperson cheekily noted they’d welcome donations from anyone respecting their editorial independence. Such flippancy, in the wake of a man’s murder, hardly seems the time for fundraising quips or self-congratulation on dissent.
Vance warned that the Trump administration would examine the tax-exempt status of organizations and outlets that appear to encourage or excuse violence. This move signals a readiness to confront those who, in his view, fan the flames of division under the guise of free speech or journalism.
He also shared chilling accounts of “left-leaning operatives” harassing a senior White House staffer by distributing leaflets with personal details in their neighborhood. Such actions, Vance argued, teeter dangerously close to incitement, even if they stop short of outright violence.
The loss of Charlie Kirk is a wound to many who saw him as a fierce advocate for young conservatives, and Vance’s tribute makes clear there will be no unity with those who celebrate such a tragedy. While most on the left likely abhor this violence, the vice president’s call to address a growing, radical fringe is a challenge that deserves sober reflection, not dismissal.
