Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh used their Thursday programs to honor Charlie Kirk and to reaffirm their commitment to free speech after Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. Both hosts paid tribute to Kirk’s work with Turning Point USA and framed his death as an attack on open political discourse rather than a reason to back down.
Shapiro opened his segment by rejecting online rumors that he and other conservatives would cancel campus events, calling such speculation “bullshit.” He vowed to continue touring college campuses and insisted conservatives would not be intimidated out of public debate, saying Kirk’s voice “is not silent” and promising to “pick up that blood-stained microphone where Charlie left it.”
On his show, Shapiro delivered a defiant message to would-be attackers and those who celebrate political violence: “We are not going to stop,” he said, adding profanity as an emphatic rebuke to those who would try to silence conservative voices. He framed the response as both a defense of free expression and a moral obligation to continue arguing their case publicly.
Matt Walsh struck a similar tone, praising Kirk as a gifted communicator and calling the “evil gloating” from some on the left an indictment of their opponents’ character. Walsh said he would not retreat and framed potential celebration of Kirk’s death by adversaries as a sign that their work had been effective, calling martyrdom “a terrible compliment” to their cause.
Both hosts made clear they intend to press on with campus appearances and public events. Shapiro said he would proceed with previously scheduled college stops, and Walsh declared he and others would be “louder and bolder” going forward, presenting continued public debate as the appropriate response to political violence.
Their remarks reflect a broader push among conservative media figures to turn grief into renewed activism, emphasizing resilience and the defense of free speech even as authorities continue to investigate the shooting and the suspect remains at large.