Vice President Vance hosts ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’ to honor his late friend
Vice President J.D. Vance hosted ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’ on Monday, honoring the memory of his longtime friend
by Summer Lane | September 15, 2025
Vice President J.D. Vance hosted “The Charlie Kirk Show” on Monday in honor of his late friend, praising him as “the smartest political operative I ever met,” and highlighting Kirk’s incredible legacy amid such a dark time for the nation.
“In this dark moment for our country, I think that’s the greatest lesson any of us can take from Charlie – to have faith, to have faith in the Lord, and to be bold in how we glorify Him,” the vice president said. “To be bold in our pursuits, as Charlie was in his, so that’s what we’re going to spend a little bit of time doing this afternoon.”
Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University last week, while debating college students. Kirk was also the president of Turning Point USA.
Vance spoke of the reality of Kirk’s impact on American politics and conservatism: “Every single person in this building: we owe something to Charlie,” he said. “He was a joyful warrior for our country. He loved America – he devoted himself tirelessly to making our country a better place. He was a critical part of getting Donald Trump elected as president, getting me elected as vice president. And so much of our success over the last seven months is due to his efforts, his staffing, his support, and his friendship.”
The vice president also praised Kirk’s courageous spirit, which has inspired many young Americans in the college and educational setting to be bold in their conservative beliefs and in their faith.
“Charlie was a visionary, he was a luminary, he brought together people – he didn’t just teach people how to speak…he created a whole social network for an entire generation of young people,” Vance explained.
The vice president also reflected on his time traveling to Utah with his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, to escort Kirk’s casket home – and to ensure Kirk’s widow, Erika, was additionally escorted home on Air Force Two.
“I was also honored to be able to take Charlie’s remains from Utah to Arizona; it was an amazing, amazing thing. It was heartbreaking, it was sad, and it was terrible, but what an honor it was for me and my family to be welcomed into the Kirk inner circle in their moment of grief.”
He also shared his experience interacting with Erika Kirk during this trip. “She said that she loved him so much. And I said, ‘Erika, he loved you so much. He died way too young, but he died a happy man because of you, because of the family that you gave him, because of the home and the life that you guys had built together.’ And we sat for about an hour, and we talked about Charlie.”
Vance, at times, appeared visibly emotional when reflecting on the character and strength of his friend, and was especially poignant while sharing something Mrs. Kirk told him: Charlie Kirk never once raised his voice to his wife, or was unkind or mean-spirited to her, she said.
“I took from that moment that I needed to be a better husband, and I needed to be a better father,” Vance said. “Because of all these moments, that I shared just in the last few days, the books that I’ve read to my kids, going up to their bedroom and kissing them and hugging them before bed. I just realized that all of these moments that I get to have, Charlie is not able to have them anymore, and Charlie’s kids and his beautiful wife are not able to have them anymore.”
He continued, “And maybe the best way that I can contribute, and the best way that I can honor my friend, is to be the best husband that I can be, to be the kind of husband to my wife that he was to his.”
Photo: Screenshot/X
