Barack Obama calls Charlie Kirk’s assassination ‘horrific,’ warns nation at an ‘inflection point’

Former US President Barack Obama spoke publicly for the first time following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, describing the violent act as a “horrific tragedy” and warning that the nation faces an “inflection point.”

Addressing the shocking murder at a Pennsylvania forum, Obama emphasized that political differences cannot justify violence.

“And then when it happens to somebody, even if you think they’re quote unquote ‘on the other side of the argument,’ that’s a threat to all of us and we have to be clear and forthright and condemn it,” he said.

“Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum, what happened to Charlie Kirk was horrific and a tragedy.”

Criticism of Trump Administration

Obama also criticized President Donald Trump and his administration, asserting that extremist views have been amplified in recent years.

“But I'll say this — those extreme views were not in my White House," he said. "I wasn't empowering them. I wasn't putting the weight of the United States government behind them. When we have the weight of the United States government behind extremist views, we've got a problem,” Obama said, according to the Erie Times-News.

“When we have the weight of the United States government behind extremist views, we’ve got a problem.”

Democracy at a crossroads

The former President framed the incident as a reminder of the ongoing struggle to uphold democratic values.

“And so your original question was, ‘Are we at an inflection point?’ We’re at an inflection point in the sense that we always have to fight for our democracy and we have to fight for those values that have made this country the envy of the world,” he said.

Personal reflection

While Obama admitted he did not know Kirk personally, he expressed sympathy for the victim and his family.

“Look, obviously I didn’t know Charlie Kirk,” he said. “I was generally aware of some of his ideas. I think those ideas were wrong, but that doesn’t negate the fact that what happened was a tragedy and that I mourn for him and his family.”

Condolences on social media

Hours after Kirk was killed, Obama tweeted a message of sympathy and concern for the victim’s family.

“We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children,” he wrote on X.

Charlie Kirk fatally shot at Utah Valley University; suspect charged

Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University (UVU), leaving behind a grieving wife and two young children.

Kirk, known for his outspoken political views, was addressing an audience at UVU when the attack occurred. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation.

The alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, was apprehended more than 30 hours after the attack. Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder in connection with Kirk’s death. Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the shooting.