Nigel Farage has led tributes to Charlie Kirk, the American conservative activist, following Kirk’s death in a shooting at Utah Valley University.
Speaking on GB News on Wednesday evening, the Reform UK leader described Kirk as a “close friend” and praised his role galvanising young conservatives across the United States and beyond. “I met Charlie Kirk 10 years ago. I knew Charlie Kirk, I had been to his studios in Arizona and I spoke at Turning Point rallies. I was with him in London trying to get Turning Point UK off the ground,” Farage recalled, visibly moved.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while conducting a Q&A session with students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Despite the swift response of his security team, who rushed him to hospital, Kirk succumbed to his injuries later that day.
Farage, who has worked closely with Kirk on both sides of the Atlantic, described him as “a very happy, committed family man” with “fundamentally strong, Christian beliefs.” He credited Kirk’s organisation, Turning Point USA, with bringing conservative values to the forefront of campus debate and inspiring a new generation of right-leaning students.
Kirk’s activism often crossed the Atlantic. He was a vocal supporter of Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist, and campaigned for his release from jail, even urging the Trump administration to impose sanctions on the UK over free speech issues.
Police in Utah continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting, which has sent shockwaves through conservative circles in both the US and UK. Tributes have poured in from political allies and supporters, many echoing Farage’s sentiment that Kirk’s influence on conservative youth politics would be felt for years to come.
