David Hogg Wants His Death Politicized; Kirk Wanted Courage and Faith Remembered

In the days since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Americans have witnessed two very different responses to tragedy—one rooted in faith, the other in politics.

Charlie Kirk, 31, was gunned down Wednesday at Utah Valley University while answering a question about transgender shooters. Police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who reportedly etched anti-fascist slogans like “O bella ciao” into his bullets and left behind a rifle wrapped in a towel. Investigators said Robinson’s family tipped off authorities, leading to his capture after a two-day manhunt.

Kirk’s widow, Erika, offered her first public remarks from his Phoenix studio on Friday. “Two days ago, my husband, Charlie, went to see the face of his Savior and his God. Charlie always said that when he was gone, he wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith,” she said. She reminded supporters that Kirk’s final moments were spent witnessing for Christ, urging Americans to join Bible-believing churches and continue his mission.

Vice President JD Vance personally escorted Kirk’s casket aboard Air Force Two, and President Donald Trump announced Kirk will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump declared, pledging to attend the funeral.

Pastors and faith leaders echoed this legacy. Rob McCoy of TPUSA Faith said Kirk “faced every threat with courage because he didn’t fear death.” Pastor Jack Hibbs called him “an American martyr.” Reverend Franklin Graham remembered that while Kirk defended conservative values and free speech, “most importantly, Charlie loved the Lord Jesus Christ.”

But while Kirk asked to be remembered for his courage and his faith, David Hogg—the Parkland survivor turned activist—took a different path. In a profanity-laced social media thread, Hogg declared: “If I ever get killed by one of these right wingers politicize the fuck out of my death immediately (I’m talking before my blood runs cold) and use it to pass as many gun laws as possible…” He added, “Fox News will say it’s wrong to politicize my death and it’s too soon. Fuck that. It’s too late.”

Hogg’s comments highlighted the divide over how Americans confront violence. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox warned that social media itself has become “a cancer on our society,” spreading violent imagery of Kirk’s death and fueling further division. “We are not wired as human beings… to process those types of violent imagery,” Cox said, urging Americans to log off, reconnect with family, and serve their communities.

Democrats, meanwhile, quickly seized the moment to push new gun restrictions. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanded stricter laws, while Texas Democrat Isaiah Martin promised to introduce the “Melissa Hortman/Charlie Kirk Gun Safety Act” if elected. But others admitted limits: even Mother Jones’ David Corn acknowledged that gun laws can’t prevent every extremist act—particularly given Kirk’s assassin used a bolt-action rifle, a weapon largely unchanged for over a century.

House Republicans are pressing for a select committee to investigate the “radical left’s assault on America,” pointing to groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center, which recently smeared Kirk by placing him on its “Hate Map.”

Charlie Kirk’s death has become a turning point, forcing Americans to ask: Will we honor him by defending truth and faith—or will we allow tragedy to be weaponized into political theater?

Kirk is survived by Erika and their two young children. As Erika reminded the nation: “Our battle is not simply a political one. Above all, it is spiritual.”