Charlie Kirk: Trump ally shot dead at campus event in Utah

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Reuters

It’s become very quiet – and very sombre – at the White House following President Trump’s announcement that Charlie Kirk has died.

Just a few moments ago, members of the White House press pool gathered outside after being told that the American flags at the White House were being lowered to half-staff.

It was very quiet outside when that announcement came through, and the only sounds I heard for a few moments were the shutters of cameras and a few reporters speaking softly into cameras, or amongst themselves.

The flag at the North Lawn of the White House came down at exactly 17:20pm EST. The flag on the South Lawn has also been lowered.

There are few staffers still immediately visible in the offices.

Earlier, there was a sense of clear, visceral sense of shock among them. Kirk had close ties with the president, his family and members of the administration – and many of even the younger, junior staffers are members of his enormous, intensely engaged audience of young US conservatives.