Cubs fly flag at half-staff at Wrigley Field to honor Charlie Kirk
MLB directed clubs to follow White House proclamation after conservative activist was killed at a Utah campus event
The Chicago Cubs flew the American flag at half-staff at Wrigley Field Friday during their home game against the Tampa Bay Rays in observance of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was killed Wednesday at a campus event in Utah.
Major League Baseball confirmed to media Thursday that it had asked all clubs to follow a presidential proclamation from President Donald Trump ordering flags lowered to half-staff until sunset on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. The league said it had asked teams to follow the direction of the White House proclamation.
The Cubs did not hold a moment of silence during the game, contrary to the New York Yankees, who observed a pause for Kirk on Wednesday night. Turning Point USA Chief Operating Officer Tyler Bowyer said on "The Charlie Kirk Show" that the Cubs would be "recognizing" Kirk in some way during the game. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said Kirk was a longtime Cubs fan and that the team held personal significance for him and his family.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Sept. 10, 2025, during an event on a Utah college campus, authorities and local media reported. Police said a suspect was arrested Friday and identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said a family member of the suspect contacted a family friend who then reached out to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with information that the suspect had confessed to or implied involvement in the incident.
Kirk had publicly shared his affinity for the Cubs, including photographs of family members celebrating the team’s 2016 World Series victory. His profile and political activism made his death a focal point of public and political reaction across the country, and the presidential proclamation prompted official gestures at federal and some local venues.
Major League Baseball’s request to clubs to follow the White House direction came amid a mix of responses from individual teams. The Cubs’ flag lowering at Wrigley was visible during Friday’s game, while other clubs made different choices about in-game tributes. The league’s guidance addressed flag protocol rather than dictating other forms of remembrance.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting, and law enforcement agencies have said they will release further details as the case proceeds. The White House proclamation required flags to remain at half-staff until sunset on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, a directive that was observed at Wrigley and at other sites where officials complied with the presidential order.
