Trump officials guarding at Kennedy Center to commemorate Charlie Kirk
Trump officials mourned Charlie Kirk during a vigil at the Kennedy Center, remembering his influence on the Maga movement.
Kristi Noem said she believes the killing of Charlie Kirk could be a turning point in the country.
Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative political activist, was fatally shot dead while speaking at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Tyler Robinson, 22, was detained after a two-day hunt, allegedly shooter.
“It feels like not only the whole country, but the whole world,” Nome said in an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Sep. 14 in a “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News. “My hope is that we will use it as an opportunity to get together and unify.”
Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security and former South Dakota governor, continues to criticize what she calls “the rhetoric we see from the left and the political animals”, saying it’s ugly, it’s painful, it’s looking to seize this opportunity to turn it into evil.”
“I just encourage everyone to start focusing on relationships, start focusing on each other and talk about Charlie’s beliefs,” she said.
Related: South Dakota political leaders pray for slained conservative activist Charlie Kirk
Norm also talks about her personal relationship with Kirk. She said he had the opportunity to meet her family, including her children.
“He's a special person, he stands up and speaks boldly to those who disagree with him,” she said. “We need more stuff today. More civil discourse, not some of the violence we're seeing.”
In a Facebook post on September 14, Noem wrote about the sadness she felt after learning about Kirk's death.
“I had felt sad and isolated before, but this sadness felt collectively – millions of people were heartbroken and hoped they would put some burden on Charlie's family and dearest loved ones,” she wrote.
Norm also described some of her personal interactions with Kirk.
“I remember impressing him when I first met him,” she wrote. “He has the skills and knowledge I don’t have, and he has become my encourager over the years.”
Noem left South Dakota Governor’s second term when she left President Donald Trump’s secretary of homeland security. ABC News reported Kirk was “deeply involved” during the review of the highest position in the Trump administration.