Van Jones reveals Charlie Kirk’s final message the day before his death
CNN host says Kirk urged a civil discussion on crime and race; Jones would have spoken with him and attended his funeral in Arizona
Van Jones, the CNN host and former Obama adviser, said on Friday's Anderson Cooper 360° that Charlie Kirk sent him a final message the day before Kirk was killed in Orem, Utah. Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, was shot at a college event on Sept. 10. Jones said the note arrived on Sept. 9 and proposed a civil, respectful conversation about crime and race.
During the segment, Jones read Kirk's message aloud: 'Hey Van, I mean it, I’d love to have you on my show to have a respectful conversation about crime and race. I would be a gentleman as I know you would be as well. We can disagree about the issues agreeably.' Jones said the two had been adversaries in public debates, but the words suggested a willingness to engage. He recalled that after Kirk's death his team told him Kirk had tried to reach him. He said, 'We disagree. Everybody knows we were not friends, OK? At all. But you praise the good when it's time to memorialize somebody.' He added that, though he didn't plan to build Kirk's platform, he would have called and talked if given the chance. 'That wasn't worked out, but I would have taken them up. I want to beat Charlie Kirk in a debate,' Jones said. He noted he would have attended Kirk's funeral in Arizona even though they disagreed.
Jones said the case underscored a broader problem: political unrest and a culture that tolerates violence when disagreements are not handled openly. He stressed that Kirk was not for censorship or civil war and that his friend’s death highlighted the need for dialogue and open debate across ideological lines. In his words, Kirk 'was not for censorship. He was not for civil war. He was for dialogue, open debate and dialogue—even with me.' Jones also wrote a similar account on Substack to reach a wider audience and advocate for more constructive discourse.
Kirk's memorial service was scheduled to take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with the venue set to host his service in the days following his death. The event has drawn a wide array of attendees and commentators reflecting on Kirk's push for open debate and civil discourse, even as his supporters and detractors clashed over the meaning of his work and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Jones's reflections arrive amid a broader national conversation about political rhetoric, violence, and the boundaries of dissent in the United States. His remarks, and the public focus on a final message of courtesy between political opponents, have intensified debate about how to restore constructive dialogue in an era of heightened partisanship.