September 12, 2025 • 14 mins
In this episode, Jon Decker examines the shocking assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the latest developments in the ongoing investigation. Decker explores the political and security ramifications of his death, as well as rising international concerns after Russian drones violated Polish airspace. The White House Briefing Room can be heard daily on the iHeartRadio App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the White House Briefing Room for Friday, September twelfth.
I'm John Decker. President Trump says progress is being made
in the effort by law enforcement to find the killer
of conservative activist Charlie Either.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Making great tennis strides. Are either making great strides.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
You know, they have pictures and some other things, and
they found the weapon.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Big factor, so.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
They're very talented people.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Let's see what happened, and the President plays down the
incursion of Polish airspace by Russian drones. I'll have the
latest on that, but we begin with an update on
the manhunt for Charlie Kirk's killer. Charlie Kirk, of course,
was one of the most influential figures in President Trump's world,
(00:49):
in his political world, and he played a prominent role
in the President's outreach to young voters during the twenty
twenty four election. Kirk, when he was assassinated on Wednesday,
was just thirty one years old. Authorities say they're still
searching for that person who fatally shot Charlie Kirk on
(01:09):
Wednesday while he was on stage at Utah Valley University.
The FBI and the Utah Department of Public Safety released
additional pictures of a person of interest in connection with
the killing, and the FBI is offering a reward of
up to one hundred thousand dollars for information on the shooting.
(01:31):
Authorities believe that the suspect is of college age, but
they also caution that this investigation is still in its
early stages. When the President left the White House for
New York City on Thursday, the President was asked if
any progress was being made in this investigation. And here's
(01:52):
what the President had to say.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
I'd rather not say. I think progress is being made.
He's an animal, total animal, and hopefully they'll have him
and they'll get him. What he did is disgraceful. Charlie
Kirk was a great person, a great man, great in
every way, especially with youth, and what he did, what
this man did was disgraceful. So hopefully we'll have him
(02:16):
and we will deal with him very appropriate.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Now, local, state and federal authorities say they've gotten multiple
leads in the Charlie Kirk shooting investigation, but of course
there's still no suspecting custody. And that's more than twenty
four hours after the killing. More than two hundred tips
have come in investigators say they're analyzing forensic samples, including
(02:39):
a shoe impression, a palm print, and fore arm imprints.
That's what the Utah Department of Public Safety said Thursday evening.
In addition to that, a high powered rifle was recovered
in a wooded area where the suspected shooter fled. Investigators
say it's still unclear how far this suspect might have traveled.
(03:03):
Thursday was September eleventh. It was the twenty fourth anniversary
of the terrorist attacks on our country, and Vice President
Jade Vance his initial plan was to be at Ground
Zero for events that were going to take place there
marking this twenty fourth anniversary. Instead, he changed his schedule.
(03:24):
He traveled out to Utah. He met with family and
close friends of Charlie Kirk in Salt Lake City, and
then he traveled on Air Force two with Charlie Kirk's casket.
Kirk lived in Arizona and that's where his organization, Turning
Point USA was based, and that's where the funeral for
(03:47):
Charlie Kirk will take place as well. The President indicated
that perhaps the funeral will take place next weekend, and
the President also indicated that he will be there at
Charlie Kirk's funeral. Now the President still talking about the
impact that Charlie Kirk had the short time that he
had here on this earth. The President still reflecting on
(04:08):
everything that Charlie Kirk accomplished in the thirty one short
years that he was on this earth. Here's the President
reflecting on Charlie Kirk.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
He was an advocate of nonviolence.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
That's the way I'd like to see people. The President
was also asked, what are his memories of Charlie Kirk?
What are his favorite memories of Charlie Kirk. Remember, the
relationship between Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk goes back a
full decade. Charlie Kirk was really good friends with Donald
(04:39):
Trump Junior. In fact, it was Charlie Kirk who suggested
that President Trump choose JD. Vance as his running mate.
It was Charlie Kirk whose organization knocked on so many
doors in those battleground states in the lead up to
the twenty twenty four presidential election. And that is one
(05:00):
and why the President won battleground states like Arizona and Wisconsin.
So the President had developed a very strong relationship with
Charlie Kirk over the years. It's one of the reasons
why one of his first trips that he made as
president outside of Washington was to Phoenix to speak at
a Turning Point USA conference. He recognized the importance that
(05:24):
Charlie Kirk had in the conservative movement and also garnering
support among young voters. Earlier in the day, on Thursday,
the President took part in events commemorating the nine to
eleven anniversary at the Pentagon, and before the President made
remarks related to that terrible day on September eleventh, twenty
(05:46):
four years ago, the President began his remarks by talking
about Charlie Kirk. Here's what the President had to say
as he began those remarks at the Pentagon.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty,
and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our
prayers are with his wonderful wife, Eric and his beautiful children.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
The President, in those remarks also made an announcement in
terms of what he intends to do to honor Charlie
Kirk's memory. Let's listen to the president right hereris.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie's voice
and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people,
especially young people, will live on. I'm pleased to announce
that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk posthumously the
Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Of course, the President has already ordered all American flags
to half staff, and they will remain at half staff
through six pm on Sunday. So that's a reminder for
me every time that I walk through the gates at
the White House what happened earlier this week. Meanwhile, there
is a real focus on security security around the president.
(07:05):
The President's team has already begun tightening security around the President.
I see it. I see it when I go through
the gates at the White House. I've seen it as
of late, even before the assassination of Charlie Kirk, but
it's increased in intensity since Wednesday. In fact, that Pentagon
(07:25):
ceremony to mark the anniversary of the September eleventh terrorist attacks,
that was moved to a more secure location so the
President could deliver that speech. And you can't get any
more secure of a location than the Pentagon. As far
as the President's event on Thursday night, he was at
Yankee Stadium, that's where he attended a baseball game between
(07:49):
the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers, and for that event,
a law enforcement presence was expanded beyond what it normally
would be. President behind bulletproof glass while watching the game
at Yankee Stadium. I think that we are going to
see an increase in the president's security going forward, as
(08:11):
we saw last summer with the assassination attempt on President Trump,
and as we saw this week with the assassination of
Charlie Kirk. Outdoor events, outdoor rallies, as far as the
president is concerned, pose a real challenge for the Secret
(08:31):
Service for the president and a real challenge for security,
as we saw for Charlie Kirk. And I think there
will be a ree ofn as to whether or not
those outdoor rallies can continue in the way they continued
for President Trump, and he enjoys them so much, the
people that attend those rallies enjoy them so much. But
(08:54):
right now, at this moment, I think they're likely is
a reevaluation as to whether or not the outdoor rallies
make sense because of the difficulties of securing the perimeter
where any rally can take place. The mood around the
White House remains somber because so many of the young
(09:14):
White House staff knew Charlie Kirk. They knew him because
of his close interactions during the twenty twenty four presidential election.
They knew him because of his close ties with the President,
and because of that, there's a lot of shock that
still exists at the White House because of what happened
on Wednesday out in Utah. So, as of this recording
(09:38):
of the Friday podcast, still no suspect in custody. Hopefully
that will change over the weekend. Law enforcement obviously making
progress in their investigation, but it's also important to remember
the suspect, the person who killed Charlie Kirk, has had
essentially a twenty four to thirty six hour head start
(09:59):
in terms of getting out of that area, making it
more difficult for law enforcement to locate him. Of course,
there was other news this week, including the incursion by
Russian drones into Polish airspace. In any other week, this
would be a top story that we would be talking about,
the President would be talking about. Questions would be asked
(10:22):
of not only the President about this, but also those
who speak on his behalf. But of course, because of
the assassination of Charlie Kirk that eclipsed the other news
that was taking place this week. But when the President
departed the White House on Friday, he was asked a
question about that incursion and whether it concerns him. Let's
(10:44):
hear what the President had to say, could.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Have been a mistake, could have been a mistake, but regardless,
I'm not happy about anything having to do with that
all situation, but hopefully it's going.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
To come to an end. So the President seems very
dismissive there of what happened earlier this week when once
he won, Russian drones entered into the airspace of Poland.
Europe not so dismissive of it, including Poland a member
of the Defense Alliance. So this is what Poland's deputy
(11:15):
Prime minister and foreign minister had to say overnight in
response to what the President said. The President of course
said it could have been a mistake, and Poland's deputy
prime minister and foreign minister said, no, it wasn't a mistake.
And this was further followed by Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
(11:37):
He said, we would also wish that the drone attack
on Poland was a mistake, but it wasn't and we
know it. That's what he put out on social media
in English this morning. So they pay attention to everything
that the President says in regards to the war in
Ukraine and how it has impacted Poland specifically. Poland's foreign
(12:01):
minister also had a very pointed statement regarding President Trump
and his effort to try to bring an end to
the war in Ukraine. He said, we were supposed to
have sanctions, instead we got Alaska. And since, of course
the President's meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin,
(12:25):
the attacks on Ukraine have intensified. They've intensified, specifically in
civilian areas of Ukraine. Now, it's worth noting that the
president's comments in which he appeared to be dismissive of
those Russian drones entering into Poland's airspace, they're broadly in
line actually with those comments by the US Air Force
(12:48):
General and Supreme ally Commander of Europe. He appeared alongside
the Lithuanian Defense Minister at a press conference in Ville
on Thursday, and he said, we do not know yet
if this was an intentional act or an unintentional act.
(13:09):
From Russia. So he expressed essentially the same view as
President Trump, but in a more diplomatic way. But obviously
Poland sees it very differently. They believe that their territorial
sovereignty was violated and they're pretty angry about it, as
are many other NATO countries. In the morning, the President
(13:31):
will actually do a live television interview with Fox and Friends.
He'll actually be in the Fox News studio in New
York City for that interview. So that's a first in
terms of the President doing a live interview with Fox
in person in New York City during his second term.
(13:51):
And then the President following that interview will depart New
York and route to Bedminster, New Jersey. That's where his
club is located, and that's where he will spend the
rest of the weekend. It has been an incredibly busy week,
also an incredibly sad and shocking week with the events
that happened out in Utah on Wednesday, the assassination of
(14:13):
Charlie Kirk. But next week a new focus for the
President as he travels out of the country for a
state visit to the United Kingdom. So we'll keep our
eye on that. That's the White House Briefing Room for Friday,
September twelfth. I'm John Decker. Have a great weekend
Welcome to the White House Briefing Room for Friday, September twelfth.
I'm John Decker. President Trump says progress is being made
in the effort by law enforcement to find the killer
of conservative activist Charlie Either.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Making great tennis strides. Are either making great strides.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
You know, they have pictures and some other things, and
they found the weapon.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Big factor, so.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
They're very talented people.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Let's see what happened, and the President plays down the
incursion of Polish airspace by Russian drones. I'll have the
latest on that, but we begin with an update on
the manhunt for Charlie Kirk's killer. Charlie Kirk, of course,
was one of the most influential figures in President Trump's world,
(00:49):
in his political world, and he played a prominent role
in the President's outreach to young voters during the twenty
twenty four election. Kirk, when he was assassinated on Wednesday,
was just thirty one years old. Authorities say they're still
searching for that person who fatally shot Charlie Kirk on
(01:09):
Wednesday while he was on stage at Utah Valley University.
The FBI and the Utah Department of Public Safety released
additional pictures of a person of interest in connection with
the killing, and the FBI is offering a reward of
up to one hundred thousand dollars for information on the shooting.
(01:31):
Authorities believe that the suspect is of college age, but
they also caution that this investigation is still in its
early stages. When the President left the White House for
New York City on Thursday, the President was asked if
any progress was being made in this investigation. And here's
(01:52):
what the President had to say.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
I'd rather not say. I think progress is being made.
He's an animal, total animal, and hopefully they'll have him
and they'll get him. What he did is disgraceful. Charlie
Kirk was a great person, a great man, great in
every way, especially with youth, and what he did, what
this man did was disgraceful. So hopefully we'll have him
(02:16):
and we will deal with him very appropriate.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Now, local, state and federal authorities say they've gotten multiple
leads in the Charlie Kirk shooting investigation, but of course
there's still no suspecting custody. And that's more than twenty
four hours after the killing. More than two hundred tips
have come in investigators say they're analyzing forensic samples, including
(02:39):
a shoe impression, a palm print, and fore arm imprints.
That's what the Utah Department of Public Safety said Thursday evening.
In addition to that, a high powered rifle was recovered
in a wooded area where the suspected shooter fled. Investigators
say it's still unclear how far this suspect might have traveled.
(03:03):
Thursday was September eleventh. It was the twenty fourth anniversary
of the terrorist attacks on our country, and Vice President
Jade Vance his initial plan was to be at Ground
Zero for events that were going to take place there
marking this twenty fourth anniversary. Instead, he changed his schedule.
(03:24):
He traveled out to Utah. He met with family and
close friends of Charlie Kirk in Salt Lake City, and
then he traveled on Air Force two with Charlie Kirk's casket.
Kirk lived in Arizona and that's where his organization, Turning
Point USA was based, and that's where the funeral for
(03:47):
Charlie Kirk will take place as well. The President indicated
that perhaps the funeral will take place next weekend, and
the President also indicated that he will be there at
Charlie Kirk's funeral. Now the President still talking about the
impact that Charlie Kirk had the short time that he
had here on this earth. The President still reflecting on
(04:08):
everything that Charlie Kirk accomplished in the thirty one short
years that he was on this earth. Here's the President
reflecting on Charlie Kirk.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
He was an advocate of nonviolence.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
That's the way I'd like to see people. The President
was also asked, what are his memories of Charlie Kirk?
What are his favorite memories of Charlie Kirk. Remember, the
relationship between Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk goes back a
full decade. Charlie Kirk was really good friends with Donald
(04:39):
Trump Junior. In fact, it was Charlie Kirk who suggested
that President Trump choose JD. Vance as his running mate.
It was Charlie Kirk whose organization knocked on so many
doors in those battleground states in the lead up to
the twenty twenty four presidential election. And that is one
(05:00):
and why the President won battleground states like Arizona and Wisconsin.
So the President had developed a very strong relationship with
Charlie Kirk over the years. It's one of the reasons
why one of his first trips that he made as
president outside of Washington was to Phoenix to speak at
a Turning Point USA conference. He recognized the importance that
(05:24):
Charlie Kirk had in the conservative movement and also garnering
support among young voters. Earlier in the day, on Thursday,
the President took part in events commemorating the nine to
eleven anniversary at the Pentagon, and before the President made
remarks related to that terrible day on September eleventh, twenty
(05:46):
four years ago, the President began his remarks by talking
about Charlie Kirk. Here's what the President had to say
as he began those remarks at the Pentagon.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty,
and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our
prayers are with his wonderful wife, Eric and his beautiful children.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
The President, in those remarks also made an announcement in
terms of what he intends to do to honor Charlie
Kirk's memory. Let's listen to the president right hereris.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie's voice
and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people,
especially young people, will live on. I'm pleased to announce
that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk posthumously the
Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Of course, the President has already ordered all American flags
to half staff, and they will remain at half staff
through six pm on Sunday. So that's a reminder for
me every time that I walk through the gates at
the White House what happened earlier this week. Meanwhile, there
is a real focus on security security around the president.
(07:05):
The President's team has already begun tightening security around the President.
I see it. I see it when I go through
the gates at the White House. I've seen it as
of late, even before the assassination of Charlie Kirk, but
it's increased in intensity since Wednesday. In fact, that Pentagon
(07:25):
ceremony to mark the anniversary of the September eleventh terrorist attacks,
that was moved to a more secure location so the
President could deliver that speech. And you can't get any
more secure of a location than the Pentagon. As far
as the President's event on Thursday night, he was at
Yankee Stadium, that's where he attended a baseball game between
(07:49):
the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers, and for that event,
a law enforcement presence was expanded beyond what it normally
would be. President behind bulletproof glass while watching the game
at Yankee Stadium. I think that we are going to
see an increase in the president's security going forward, as
(08:11):
we saw last summer with the assassination attempt on President Trump,
and as we saw this week with the assassination of
Charlie Kirk. Outdoor events, outdoor rallies, as far as the
president is concerned, pose a real challenge for the Secret
(08:31):
Service for the president and a real challenge for security,
as we saw for Charlie Kirk. And I think there
will be a ree ofn as to whether or not
those outdoor rallies can continue in the way they continued
for President Trump, and he enjoys them so much, the
people that attend those rallies enjoy them so much. But
(08:54):
right now, at this moment, I think they're likely is
a reevaluation as to whether or not the outdoor rallies
make sense because of the difficulties of securing the perimeter
where any rally can take place. The mood around the
White House remains somber because so many of the young
(09:14):
White House staff knew Charlie Kirk. They knew him because
of his close interactions during the twenty twenty four presidential election.
They knew him because of his close ties with the President,
and because of that, there's a lot of shock that
still exists at the White House because of what happened
on Wednesday out in Utah. So, as of this recording
(09:38):
of the Friday podcast, still no suspect in custody. Hopefully
that will change over the weekend. Law enforcement obviously making
progress in their investigation, but it's also important to remember
the suspect, the person who killed Charlie Kirk, has had
essentially a twenty four to thirty six hour head start
(09:59):
in terms of getting out of that area, making it
more difficult for law enforcement to locate him. Of course,
there was other news this week, including the incursion by
Russian drones into Polish airspace. In any other week, this
would be a top story that we would be talking about,
the President would be talking about. Questions would be asked
(10:22):
of not only the President about this, but also those
who speak on his behalf. But of course, because of
the assassination of Charlie Kirk that eclipsed the other news
that was taking place this week. But when the President
departed the White House on Friday, he was asked a
question about that incursion and whether it concerns him. Let's
(10:44):
hear what the President had to say, could.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Have been a mistake, could have been a mistake, but regardless,
I'm not happy about anything having to do with that
all situation, but hopefully it's going.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
To come to an end. So the President seems very
dismissive there of what happened earlier this week when once
he won, Russian drones entered into the airspace of Poland.
Europe not so dismissive of it, including Poland a member
of the Defense Alliance. So this is what Poland's deputy
(11:15):
Prime minister and foreign minister had to say overnight in
response to what the President said. The President of course
said it could have been a mistake, and Poland's deputy
prime minister and foreign minister said, no, it wasn't a mistake.
And this was further followed by Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
(11:37):
He said, we would also wish that the drone attack
on Poland was a mistake, but it wasn't and we
know it. That's what he put out on social media
in English this morning. So they pay attention to everything
that the President says in regards to the war in
Ukraine and how it has impacted Poland specifically. Poland's foreign
(12:01):
minister also had a very pointed statement regarding President Trump
and his effort to try to bring an end to
the war in Ukraine. He said, we were supposed to
have sanctions, instead we got Alaska. And since, of course
the President's meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin,
(12:25):
the attacks on Ukraine have intensified. They've intensified, specifically in
civilian areas of Ukraine. Now, it's worth noting that the
president's comments in which he appeared to be dismissive of
those Russian drones entering into Poland's airspace, they're broadly in
line actually with those comments by the US Air Force
(12:48):
General and Supreme ally Commander of Europe. He appeared alongside
the Lithuanian Defense Minister at a press conference in Ville
on Thursday, and he said, we do not know yet
if this was an intentional act or an unintentional act.
(13:09):
From Russia. So he expressed essentially the same view as
President Trump, but in a more diplomatic way. But obviously
Poland sees it very differently. They believe that their territorial
sovereignty was violated and they're pretty angry about it, as
are many other NATO countries. In the morning, the President
(13:31):
will actually do a live television interview with Fox and Friends.
He'll actually be in the Fox News studio in New
York City for that interview. So that's a first in
terms of the President doing a live interview with Fox
in person in New York City during his second term.
(13:51):
And then the President following that interview will depart New
York and route to Bedminster, New Jersey. That's where his
club is located, and that's where he will spend the
rest of the weekend. It has been an incredibly busy week,
also an incredibly sad and shocking week with the events
that happened out in Utah on Wednesday, the assassination of
(14:13):
Charlie Kirk. But next week a new focus for the
President as he travels out of the country for a
state visit to the United Kingdom. So we'll keep our
eye on that. That's the White House Briefing Room for Friday,
September twelfth. I'm John Decker. Have a great weekend
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