Donald Trump Jr. reached for the memory of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk in a last-minute appeal on Tuesday, urging Republicans to head to the polls before they close. The former president's son posted a photo on X of Kirk addressing a crowd, an image that appears to have been captured at the same Utah Valley University event where the Turning Point USA co-founder was fatally shot in September 2025.
Above the photo, text read: "Vote Like the Other Side Will Kill You for Talking." In the caption, Trump Jr. wrote: "Vote like your lives, and the lives of your children depend, on it. BECAUSE THEY DO!!!"
Kirk's assassination, which occurred as he spoke to thousands in Orem, Utah, became a rallying point for Republicans, who blamed the "radical left" for fostering a climate of political violence. President Trump and other GOP figures repeatedly invoked Kirk's death throughout the year as evidence of what they described as Democratic hostility.
At the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas, which coincided with the first anniversary of the shooting, speakers honored Kirk and criticized Democrats for their response. Trump himself said, "The mask came off the radical left," and Trump Jr. echoed that sentiment in his convention remarks, accusing Democrats of mocking the attempted assassination of his father in Butler, Pennsylvania, and of reacting with "demented" glee to Kirk's murder.
Kirk was a key figure in Trump's 2024 comeback, and the president praised him after his death, saying, "No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie."
Tuesday's post lands as Republicans confront a challenging midterm landscape. The ongoing Iran war has eroded public support, the president's approval rating has slumped—hovering around 38.4 percent according to Decision Desk HQ—and persistent cost-of-living concerns weigh on the party's prospects. Some analysts warn of a potential GOP wipeout in the midterms.
Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, also posted a video of her late husband on Tuesday, highlighting what she called his "timeless wisdom." In the clip, filmed before the 2024 elections, Kirk said: "I have no idea what will happen, but whatever happens, we'll keep fighting."
The emotional appeals come as voters cast ballots in closely watched races, including Kentucky's Senate contest and Florida's Senate battle, with control of Congress hanging in the balance.
