Trump praises Kash Patel’s 'great job' in Charlie Kirk case, calls Kirk ‘like a son’

Trump hails Patel, calls Kirk “like a son” as FBI nabs suspect in 33 hours

In a case that gripped the conservative movement, the FBI announced the arrest of a 22-year-old man identified as Robinson, accused of fatally shooting activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university event. The arrest, made in the suspect’s hometown of Washington, Utah, came just 33 hours after the attack.

President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News Digital on Saturday, applauded the speed of the investigation. “I am very proud of the FBI. Kash, and everyone else, they have done a great job,” Trump said, singling out FBI Director Kash Patel for praise.

Kash Patel’s bold press moment

The spotlight, however, wasn’t only on the arrest. FBI Director Kash Patel had already drawn criticism a day earlier for announcing progress hours before the actual capture. At a press briefing Friday, Patel called the operation 'historic progress,' noting that 'in less than 36 hours, 33 to be precise, thanks to the full weight of the federal government and partners here in Utah and Gov. Cox, the suspect was apprehended.”

Patel also used the moment to thank Trump directly: “For providing the agency with the resources to bring justice at this speed.” He ended on a personal note, saluting Kirk: “To my friend, Charlie Kirk: Rest now, brother. We have the watch. And I’ll see you in Valhalla.”

Trump’s emotional tribute

Trump’s own comments were laced with anger and grief. In a separate Fox & Friends interview, he said he hoped the suspect would face the death penalty. “I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody. Essentially, somebody that was very close to him turned him in,” Trump said.

He went further, describing Kirk in deeply personal terms: “He was like a son. He started this really during what would normally be college… and it’s become a movement. I’ve never seen young people, or any group, go to one person like they did to Charlie.”

A case with political weight

Kirk’s killing, following last year’s attempt on Trump’s life, has sharpened debates over political violence and the protection of public figures. For Trump, it’s also become a rallying cry: both an opportunity to position himself as the protector of the conservative movement and a moment to elevate Kash Patel as a loyal operator delivering results.