House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) brought his chamber to a halt on Wednesday, holding a moment of silence for conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk after he was shot in the neck at an event in Utah.
Johnson spoke to reporters ahead of the planned moment of silence, telling them, “We ask everyone to pray for him and his family. Political violence has become all too common in American society, and this is not who we are.”
The House Speaker joined a number of other elected officials in condemning political violence in the aftermath of the shooting, adding, “It violates core principles of our country today, our Judeo-Christian heritage, our civil society, our American way of life. And it must stop.”
“We need every political figure, we need everyone who has a platform to say this loudly and clearly: we can settle disagreements and disputes in a civil manner, end political violence,” Johnson said.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) voiced a similar sentiment when he first learned of the shooting, saying, “I condemn this in the strongest terms. There is ZERO place in our great country for these horrendous acts of political violence. We must find a better way forward. May Charlie Kirk have a full and quick recovery.”
I condemn this in the strongest terms.
There is ZERO place in our great country for these horrendous acts of political violence.
We must find a better way forward.
May Charlie Kirk have a full and quick recovery. pic.twitter.com/S2DlqVXNai
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) September 10, 2025
Shortly after Johnson announced his plan to hold a moment of silence, Turning Point USA Chief Operating Officer Justin Streiff confirmed Kirk’s death in an email to TPUSA staff.
President Donald Trump and others also reported that Kirk had died.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” Trump said.
“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his… pic.twitter.com/aM8Pz3TKml
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 10, 2025