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Who was Charlie Kirk, Trump supporter, father of 2 & passionate gun rights advocate?
5 things.
September 11, 2025, 11:43 AM
Charlie Kirk, founder of the influential United States-based conservative media outlet Turning Point USA (TPUSA), has died after being shot.
Kirk was at an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University near Salt Lake City.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently made a statement on his passing.
Here are five things to know about the man who was hailed as one of the main architects of Trump's election victory in 2024.
1. Dropped out of community college to become a political activist
Kirk has been vocal about his dropping out of college, frequently using it during debates with college students.
He would typically be asked about what made him qualified to speak out about issues without a college degree.
Kirk would then rebut with a combination of his own personal experiences and self-studying.
2. Founded TPUSA when he was 18
After dropping out of college, he founded TP USA.
This was during Democratic President Barack Obama's second term in 2012.
Kirk was hailed as a "conservative boy wonder" and "the future of conservative politics" even before 2020.
The organisation, though, saw a surge in funds raised during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
According to NBC, the nonprofit reported S$70.5 million in revenue in 2020, a 40 per cent increase from 2019.
In 2022, they claimed to have a presence in over 3,000 college and high school campuses.
3. Passionate gun rights advocate
Kirk was an avid gun rights advocate.
His most viral moment for this topic came in 2023 when he said, "I think it's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.".
The Second Amendment refers to the U.S. Constitutional right to bear arms.
4. Avid Trump supporter
Kirk has been described as one of the key pieces to Trump securing a victory in the 2024 elections.
Trump has spoken highly of him in the past, and after his death, described him as a possibly legendary figure.
Kirk was also good friends with Trump's oldest child, Donald Trump Jr, and they travelled to Greenland earlier this year.
5. Married with two children
Kirk married his wife, Erika Frantzve, in 2021. They have two children together.
Erika was Miss Arizona 2012, a collegiate basketball player. She is the founder of Proclaim, faith-based clothing line, and two nonprofit organisations.
She is currently studying for a doctorate in Biblical studies at Liberty University.
Erika was often seen at her husband's public appearances.
Image from Kirk's Facebook and Instagram
