Charlie Kirk would have turned 32 today, on 14 October 2025. The American conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA was shot dead almost exactly one month ago, on 10 September, in Utah. Today, the United States—and much of the Western world—commemorates him on the first National Day of Remembrance for the slain activist.
Last month, both chambers of Congress approved resolutions to honour Kirk on what would have been his 32nd birthday, The Hill reported. ‘Charlie was a good man—a devout husband, father, and friend,’ Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) said as he introduced the resolution in the Senate. ‘His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country. He believed in God, the American dream, the value of family, and the principles of our great nation,’ Scott added.
In the House, several lawmakers introduced resolutions to honour Kirk and condemn political violence. In mid-September, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) confirmed that a resolution to honour ‘the life and legacy of our friend Charlie Kirk’ had passed.
While none of the resolutions established an official national holiday—meaning that public schools, banks, and shopping centres remain open—Scott’s order ‘encourages educational institutions, civic organizations, and citizens across the United States to observe [14 October] with appropriate programmes, activities, prayers, and ceremonies that promote civic engagement and the principles of faith, liberty, and democracy that Charlie Kirk championed.’
Moreover, Representatives Abe Hamadeh (R-AR) and August Pfluger (R-TX) introduced a bill that would feature Kirk’s likeness on as many as 400,000 silver dollar coins. Although the bill has yet to be passed, the US Treasury Department does not require congressional approval for individual likenesses to appear on currency, USA Today reported.
As Kirk’s birthday approached, thousands paid tribute to the influential activist. Among them was Mississippi artist Samuel Ingram, who recently went viral for his portrait of Charlie, which he made right after the assassination. Speaking to Fox News, Ingram revealed that he had spoken to Kirk personally a year earlier, after posting a painting of President Trump following the assassination attempt against him last July. ‘I wanted to do him a service,’ Ingram said. ‘The best way I could was to memorialize him for everybody to see and add to his legacy, especially with the reference photo that I used from Dan Fleuette of Charlie praying,’ the artist noted. His tribute, however, met with backlash on social media: he lost 44,000 followers on Instagram, and collectively over 100,000 users unfollowed him across Facebook and TikTok. He even received death threats over the painting.
One month after the assassination, the case against the perpetrator, Tyler Robinson, has seen little progress. In late September, Robinson’s attorney asked a judge for more time to review the large amount of evidence before deciding whether the defence would seek a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing would determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. Defendants may waive that step, but Robinson’s newly appointed attorney, Kathryn Nester, said her team did not intend to do so.
The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for the end of October.
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