Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel delivered a scathing critique of President Donald Trump’s response to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during Thursday night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Kimmel opened his monologue by condemning Kirk’s shooting as senseless while criticizing the divisive reactions that followed. He expressed dismay at those celebrating the activist’s death and noted that another school shooting had occurred in Colorado on the same day, marking the hundredth such incident of 2025.
The comedian’s primary focus centered on Trump’s response to the tragedy, which blamed the rhetoric of the “radical left” for the assassination. Kimmel contrasted this with statements from former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, all of whom issued unifying messages following Kirk’s death.
Kimmel indicated that while other presidents attempted to bring the country together during the crisis, “President Trump did not. Instead, he blamed Democrats for their rhetoric.”
The host then detailed what he characterized as Trump’s history of inflammatory statements, including his 2016 suggestion that Second Amendment supporters might take action regarding Hillary Clinton and his comment about not minding if someone shot through the news media. Kimmel also referenced Trump’s role in the January 6 Capitol incident and his recent remarks about Liz Cheney facing gunfire for supporting his political opponent.
Kirk was shot in the neck while addressing students as part of his “American Comeback Tour” series. Video footage of the assassination quickly circulated on social media, showing the moment Kirk was struck before the crowd fled the scene. The FBI has since released footage of a suspect climbing from a building and fleeing the area.
On Friday morning, Trump announced during a live Fox News interview that authorities had apprehended a suspect with “a high degree of certainty.” The president indicated that a minister involved with law enforcement had turned in the suspect. Later reports identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the alleged shooter.
Before his Thursday night monologue, Kimmel had initially addressed Kirk’s death on Instagram Wednesday evening, calling for unity rather than divisive finger-pointing. He urged people to agree that shooting another human being is horrible and monstrous, extending condolences to Kirk’s family and all victims of gun violence.
Fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert also addressed the shooting, recording a special message that aired before his Wednesday show. Colbert emphasized that political violence never solves political differences and only leads to more violence. On Thursday, he added that regardless of political views, Kirk was a young father of two children who had the constitutional right to express his opinions safely.
Seth Meyers similarly condemned the violence during his Thursday show, calling for reasonable gun safety laws while noting the epidemic of mass shootings plaguing the country. He highlighted that over 300 mass shootings and 47 school shootings had occurred in 2025 alone.
The White House responded to Kimmel’s criticism through spokesperson Abigail Jackson, who defended Trump’s statements and accused Kimmel of fueling hatred and spreading lies. Jackson characterized the comedian as divisive and suggested he should apologize for his rhetoric rather than criticizing the President.
Kirk’s death has generated widespread reactions across the political spectrum. The conservative activist had built a social media following in the tens of millions and was considered a close ally of Trump. Through Turning Point USA, Kirk worked to foster conservative culture on college campuses nationwide.
The assassination occurred during a particularly volatile period in American politics, with multiple incidents of political violence occurring in recent years. Late-night hosts have increasingly found themselves addressing such tragedies while attempting to maintain their comedic formats.
Kirk is survived by his wife Erika and their two young children. The investigation into his assassination continues as authorities work to determine the shooter’s motives and any potential connections to broader political movements.
The incident has reignited debates about political rhetoric, gun violence, and the responsibility of public figures in addressing national tragedies. As the investigation proceeds, the contrast between unifying and divisive responses to Kirk’s death continues to generate discussion across media platforms.
