JD Vance Says Becoming A Better Husband, Father Is Best Way To Honor Charlie Kirk
Vice President JD Vance paid heartfelt tribute to Charlie Kirk on Monday, saying the most powerful way to honor his fallen friend’s legacy is to become a better husband and father.
Vance, who filled in as guest host of The Charlie Kirk Show, opened up about an emotional conversation he had with Charlie’s wife, Erika Kirk, the day after the conservative commentator was assassinated during a campus event in Utah.
“When I first met Erika… she gave me a hug and she was heartbroken, as of course she would be,” Vance said. “She said that she loved him so much. And I said, ‘Erika, he loved you so much. He died way too young, but he died a happy man because of you, because of the family that you gave him, because of the home and the life that you guys had built together.’”
A Husband, A Father, A Friend
Kirk leaves behind a grieving wife and two young children. Vance recalled spending nearly an hour with Erika, sharing memories, laughter, and tears.
“She said to me something I will never forget,” the vice president continued. “She said Charlie never raised his voice, never cussed at her, was never cross or mean-spirited to her.”
That moment, Vance said, was deeply convicting. “I’m proud of being a husband. I think I’m a pretty good one. But I couldn’t say that I’ve never raised my voice. I couldn’t say that I’ve always been as gentle as Charlie was. And that hit me.”
He added, “Charlie doesn’t get to hug his kids goodnight anymore. He doesn’t get those small moments that so many of us take for granted. But maybe the best way I can honor him — and maybe the best way all of us can — is to love our families more deeply, and never waste another second.”
JD Vance shares that he is honoring Charlie Kirk by being a better husband and father.
“All of these moments that I get to have, Charlie isn’t able to have them anymore…The best way that I can honor my dear friend is to be the best husband that I can be…” pic.twitter.com/K7bIVeExmX
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) September 15, 2025
A Vice President In Mourning
Vance and his wife traveled to Utah immediately after the assassination to comfort the Kirk family and later accompanied Charlie’s casket aboard Air Force Two back to Arizona.
Kirk, 31, was murdered while answering a student’s question at Utah Valley University. His accused killer, Tyler Robinson, is in custody and facing charges of aggravated murder. Federal investigators say Robinson was “deeply indoctrinated” by far-left ideology and may have had online support in the days leading up to the attack.
But despite the political firestorm, Vance made clear that his personal mission now — and his way of remembering Charlie — is rooted in fatherhood and faith.
“Charlie Kirk was a warrior for truth,” Vance said. “But he was also a gentle husband and a loving father. That’s who I want to be.”