Trump lauds Charlie Kirk as potential future president during UK visit; defends free speech amid Kimmel suspension

LONDON — President Donald Trump used a joint press briefing with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to honor Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was fatally shot while speaking at a Utah campus, saying he could have been a great future president. The remarks came as Trump and Starmer announced a bilateral agreement on technology and economic cooperation, signing a billion-dollar U.K.–U.S. Tech Prosperity Deal at Starmer’s country residence on Sept. 18, 2025.

Trump told reporters that Kirk “could have been a future President,” describing him as someone who “related to youth” and noting that he had “never seen anybody relate to youth like Charlie.” He said he would award Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom and said he planned to attend a memorial service to honor the slain activist on Sunday. The president added that, in his view, Kirk had a bright political future and stressed the importance of shared democratic values across the Atlantic.

Starmer, standing beside Trump, acknowledged the tragedy and condemned the killing, saying that whatever political views exist, the act was “shocking” and must be condemned. He noted that he had reached out to Trump after learning of Kirk’s death and reaffirmed the importance of protecting free expression while urging peaceful, lawful political engagement.

During the back-and-forth about free speech, a reporter asked about the question of free speech in Britain versus America, particularly in the wake of the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! The host’s show was suspended “indefinitely” following on-air remarks about Kirk. Trump asserted that Kimmel was fired for low ratings rather than for speech, saying, “He said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk… they should have fired him a long time ago. You can call that ‘free speech’ or not. He was fired for lack of talent.” He framed the incident as part of a broader pattern in U.S. media, rather than a political suppression of dissent.

The remarks came after Kirk’s death had prompted widespread debate about political violence and media responsibility. Kirk’s supporters pointed to his advocacy and youth outreach, while critics argued the incident underscored the increasing toxicity of political rhetoric in the United States. The authorities have not disclosed a clear motive for the shooting, and police have said the suspect, Tyler Robinson, has been uncooperative as investigators pursue potential motives and connections.

Trump’s comments about Kimmel reflected a broader, highly charged exchange about the boundaries of political commentary. Nexstar Media Group, which operates Kimmel’s affiliate stations, announced that the late-night host’s remarks were “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” adding that the network did not believe they reflected the values of local communities. The suspension was announced by Nexstar’s broadcasting division president, who emphasized the need for appropriate conduct in breaking news coverage. In a separate development, MSNBC apologized for on-air remarks by political analyst Matthew Dowd in the immediate wake of the Kirk shooting, saying the comments were inappropriate and insensitive. Dowd was reportedly no longer with MSNBC a day after the network’s statement.

The shooting has spurred broader discussions about political violence, with several high-profile incidents cited as part of a troubling national pattern. Earlier this year, the residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, was set on fire by an arsonist. There were fatalities in the shootings of two Democratic Minnesota legislators and their spouses, and two Israeli embassy staffers were killed outside a Washington, D.C., museum tied to the capital’s Jewish history. Reports of Molotov cocktails aimed at a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder and an attack at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta added to concerns about the climate of political confrontation. While the concrete motives behind Kirk’s killing remain under investigation, officials have stressed that violence has no place in political discourse and that law enforcement remains committed to pursuing all viable leads.

Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission, issued a brief statement stressing that the FCC “does not have the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government dislikes.” Gomez’s remarks highlighted ongoing tensions over where media accountability ends and free expression begins, a debate that has grown louder as the country grapples with partisan divides and rapidly evolving media landscapes.

Trump, who has repeatedly tied domestic political violence to his broader political narrative, has signaled that he and his allies, including Senator JD Vance, intend to crack down on what they describe as left-wing violence. In a postscript to the Kirk affair, Vance appeared on his show to discuss strategies to prevent violence and to emphasize the need for a calmer, more controlled political discourse. The former president has also pointed to statements by Kirk’s supporters and associates, stressing the importance of unity across the Atlantic in defending what he calls “glorious traditions of freedom.”

The Kirk incident and the surrounding debates have occurred amid a volatile media environment, in which political commentary, satire, and opinion are increasingly scrutinized for their potential to inflame. The timing of the U.K. visit—focused on a tech partnership intended to deepen cooperation between the two nations—underscored the broader theme that diplomacy and policy can intersect with contemporary political fights. As investigators continue to parse the circumstances around Kirk’s death, officials have urged restraint and a commitment to lawful, nonviolent civic engagement while ensuring that those who advocate for controversial ideas can do so without fear of violence.