Nick Sandmann recalls Charlie Kirk’s FaceTime support after 2019 video, as activist is killed in 2025

A moment on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in January 2019 thrust a Kentucky high school student into a torrent of online hate and public scrutiny. Nick Sandmann, then 16, wore a red MAGA hat and stood near Native American activist Nathan Phillips as a confrontation between groups unfolded during the Lincoln Memorial steps in Washington, D.C. What appeared to be a tense standoff quickly exploded into a viral image and a deluge of commentary from across the political spectrum. Sandmann and his classmates from Covington Catholic High School said they were seeking to de‑escalate a volatile scene, but the online mob quickly painted him as a racist aggressor. The fallout stretched far beyond social media: Sandmann and his family faced threats, and at one point they sought safety away from their home. The incident also sparked a series of lawsuits against major media outlets over how they reported what happened.

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Amid the chaos, one of the first people to reach out was Charlie Kirk, the co‑founder of Turning Point USA. Kirk tracked down Sandmann’s phone number and called him on FaceTime for roughly 20 minutes, offering reassurance and a message of support. Sandmann, who later told the Daily Mail that he was living with security concerns and sometimes without a stable place to stay, said the call from Kirk was emotionally grounding at a moment when he felt isolated from friends, family, and the broader public. “He was one of the first people to get my contact info and reach out to me and be supportive,” Sandmann recalled. “He definitely urged me to continue fighting, and let me know that people cared about me in that situation and what was going on.” The high‑profile backlash had included accusations of racism and threats that forced the family to seek safety away from home.

In the years that followed, Sandmann and his family pursued legal action over how certain outlets reported the incident, resulting in settlements with several major media organizations. Sandmann has since moved to Washington, D.C., and has taken a role in political work that aligns with conservative causes. He has described the early, intense period as a catalyst for his political convictions, arguing that the case highlighted for him the importance of having a platform to defend what he views as truth in the face of hostile narratives. In interviews, he has said he sought to channel the experience into opportunities for public service and political engagement, including a position within the Republican Party in Congress.

The long arc of Sandmann’s life since 2019 has, in his telling, become intertwined with his perception of civility in political discourse and the responsibilities of young people to engage with touchy issues. He has spoken about his participation in speech and debate clubs at Covington and how those experiences shaped a belief that people from opposing viewpoints can and should discuss issues in a constructive manner. He has also emphasized that his goal is to serve in a capacity that helps move policy forward, rather than merely to respond to media narratives or online mobs.

The broader political landscape around Sandmann’s story grew more personal and complicated in September 2025, when Charlie Kirk was killed during an event at a university campus in Utah. Sandmann described feeling a jolt of shock upon learning of the news, saying he probably first heard about it within minutes of reports appearing online. He recalled being “devastated” and described Kirk as someone who embodied certain American values, a description that reflected the deep political divides that both had navigated in the previous years. In his memory, Sandmann said he found himself reflecting on the ways in which public figures shape younger supporters’ identities and how the founders of political movements influence a generation of activists.

The nation’s response to Kirk’s death included tributes from political leaders and activists who had followed his work for years. Former President Donald Trump publicly praised Kirk, calling him a “great American hero” and, in later remarks at a memorial gathering, a figure who had become “a martyr now for America’s freedom.” The remarks underscored the symbolic weight of Kirk’s public life for his supporters and for the broader conversation about political courage in a polarized era. The gatherings surrounding Kirk’s memorial drew large crowds and extensive media coverage, reflecting his continued visibility even after his death.

In the wake of Kirk’s death, Erika Kirk, his widow, spoke at the memorial services and issued statements that framed his life as one dedicated to protecting and guiding young men toward what she described as meaningful, principled action. She said that her husband wanted to “save young men just like the one who took his life,” a line that captured the fraught intersection of mentoring, activism, and the dangers that public life can pose. In the courtroom and on the campaign trail, the case against Tyler Robinson, the individual charged with Kirk’s killing, has loomed large: authorities charged Robinson with capital offenses related to the killing, and prosecutors have indicated that he could face the death penalty if convicted on the most serious charges. Erika Kirk has publicly expressed forgiveness toward Robinson, a sentiment that has been cited by some as a source of solace for the family amid a case that has intensified debates about violence, accountability, and reconciliation in political life.

As the memory of Charlie Kirk continues to shape discussions about youth political engagement, Nick Sandmann’s reflections on that formative moment in 2019 also endure. He has described the earlier years as a difficult but instructive period that reinforced his sense of responsibility to participate in public life with a focus on factual accuracy and constructive dialogue. Looking ahead, Sandmann says he remains committed to working within the political system to influence policy and, in his words, to “help be a small cog” in the machinery of government. The arc of his story—from a teenager thrust into the glare of national headlines to a young man now working in Congress—illustrates how the events of a single moment can ripple through a generation, shaping beliefs, careers, and the very way the public remembers a moment that once belonged to a single day on the nation’s capital steps.