Former President Barack Obama warned that the United States is facing “an inflection point” after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He argued that President Donald Trump has deepened divisions instead of fostering unity.
Speaking Tuesday night at an event in Erie, Pennsylvania, hosted by the Jefferson Education Society, Obama stressed the dangers of political violence.
“There are no ifs, ands or buts about it: The central premise of our democratic system is that we have to be able to disagree and have sometimes really contentious debates without resorting to violence,” Obama said, according to a transcript obtained by The Associated Press.
He added that attacks on political figures cannot be excused, regardless of where one stands ideologically. “And when it happens to some, but even if you think they’re, quote, unquote, on the other side of the argument, that’s a threat to all of us. And we have to be clear and forthright in condemning them.”
Although he has maintained a relatively low profile since leaving office, Obama directly addressed Trump’s rhetoric and response to Kirk’s killing. He drew comparisons with how he handled the 2015 Charleston church massacre and how former President George W. Bush responded to the September 11 attacks, saying a president’s role in moments of crisis is “to constantly remind us of the ties that bind us together.”
Obama criticized Trump’s language following Kirk’s death, noting the White House’s tendency to label political opponents “vermin, enemies … speaks to a broader problem.”
Kirk, who built Turning Point USA into a major conservative force, had been a close Trump ally. His assassination has been followed by Trump’s calls to crack down on what he describes as the “radical left,” fueling concern that his administration is using outrage over the killing to suppress dissent.
Trump’s White House quickly pushed back at Obama, releasing a statement through spokeswoman Abigail Jackson that blamed him for the nation’s political rifts. “Obama used every opportunity to sow division and pit Americans against each other, and following his presidency more Americans felt Obama divided the country than felt he united it,” Jackson said.
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Obama also raised alarms over Trump’s recent deployment of National Guard troops in Washington and the use of federal ID checks in Los Angeles. “What you’re seeing, I think, is the sense that through executive power, many of the guardrails and norms that I thought I had to abide by as president of the United States, that George Bush thought he had to abide by as president of the United States, that suddenly those no longer apply,” he warned. “And that makes this a dangerous moment.”
In the immediate aftermath of Kirk’s death, Obama posted on X that he and Michelle were praying for Kirk’s family. “This kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,” he wrote. He later added that while he often disagreed with Kirk, “what happened was a tragedy and that I mourn for him and his family.”
Obama further condemned political violence as “anathema to what it means to be a democratic country,” citing other recent attacks, including the shooting deaths of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. He also praised Utah Gov. Spencer Cox for urging civility after Kirk’s killing, saying that despite partisan disagreements, Cox demonstrated “that it is possible for us to disagree while abiding by a basic code of how we should engage in public debate.”
Meanwhile, the suspect accused of fatally shooting Kirk at Utah Valley University last week appeared in court for the first time Tuesday. According to court filings, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson texted his partner admitting to being the shooter. He faces capital murder charges, and a judge has appointed him an attorney. Robinson’s family has declined to comment.
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