By Cliff Maloney

My friend, mentor, and American visionary, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated in cold blood by a sick, deranged man.

The sheer horror of that act is almost too much to put into words. I remain heartbroken, but I also remain committed because Charlie’s mission didn’t die with him. If anything, it just became more urgent and more powerful than ever.

I don’t want this just to be a tribute or a reminder of what he stood for. 

I want it to be a call to action. A promise to save America, and in the process, honor his ultimate sacrifice.

I shared a thread on X a few days ago about Charlie Kirk’s mentorship and support over the years in my own life, and I was truly touched by the outpouring of supportive posts, and even phone calls from others. They shared the impact he had in their lives, stories of their interactions with him, both online and in person, and the powerful grassroots movement he created in this country.

I have also seen many prominent conservative voices talking about how deeply Charlie impacted them and their own mission to restore our constitutional republic, and just as many shared what an amazing person he was.

It is heartwarming and inspiring to see how, in his 31 years of life, he impacted so many people.

These messages from friends, allies, and even outside observers show Charlie’s life wasn’t just about politics; it was about character, love, and most of all, truth.

We simply cannot ignore the fact that many on the left have been seen celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

Videos, memes, and posts mocking his senseless killing and laughing at his family, posts saying he “deserved” it, and that they wanted to see more of this type of demonic behavior. 

It’s a stain on civil discourse, a black eye on the soul of our country. It’s not only deeply wrong, it’s also extremely dangerous.

Hearing that people are cheering after a political assassination—cheering the death of a father, a husband, a friend…— chills me to my core in ways I didn’t think were imaginable. 

It reminds me just how fragile our lives and our liberties are, how vital trust and decency are. It makes the work Charlie was doing all that much more important because hatred left unchecked destroys not just individuals — it destroys the possibility of debate, of unity, and of hope.

That destroys societies.

Charlie’s life was about his mission of fostering an open debate between citizens of all political beliefs. 

It was about fighting for truth, for free speech, for the idea that young people matter, that ideas matter, that freedom matters. He built Turning Point and many other efforts to give youth not just belief, but tools: door knocking, speaking out, organizing, and strategy.

If we are to honor his ultimate sacrifice, we must do more than just remember. We must act. We must follow Charlie’s directive, “Do the work”:

This is what he lived for. 

This is the only thing that can save America.

We are at our own turning point as a country. If we lean into fear or pull back, if we silence ourselves — then the values Charlie cared so much about will erode in America. But if we lean forward, if we speak plainly, if we organize, and if we refuse to let hate win — then we build something stronger.

I remember when I ran Young Americans for Liberty and later launched Citizens Alliance, Charlie always encouraged me to look at the big picture, and he always helped with strategy. I know what works because I worked with him, and now, I want to put that into the hands of as many people as possible. 

So here’s how we carry on:

We keep knocking doors in states like Pennsylvania and key target states. We keep investing in real grassroots efforts. We keep supporting free speech on college campuses, in public forums, and online. We keep pushing back against censorship. And we keep volunteering, training, speaking, and organizing.

I’m not asking anyone to be fearless, because Charlie certainly walked into some scary situations himself; he was human. What made him remarkable, though, was his courage, a courage we need to exemplify not because we live without fear but because we move on in spite of fear.

We build unity among those who believe in liberty. Not uniformity, but shared purpose. Charlie mentored millions of warriors. Me. You. Countless others. He created an army of conservatives committed to restoring the principles America was founded on, and the best way to honor him is to do the work — not for fame, but for maximum effect.

SEE ALSO: Glenn Beck Reveals Erika Kirk's Surprising Discovery After Her Husband's Murder

Charlie Kirk’s Still Trying to Heal Country After His Murder With Final Quote in Last Interview

Charlie Kirk changed America. 

Not with noise, but with hard work, truth, and absolute commitment. 

He was exactly who we saw. He always did what he said he would do, and that is rare and precious.

So here’s my tribute to you, Charlie — we will not be broken. We will stand taller. We will act more bravely. And most importantly, we will finish what you started. Not for glory, but for liberty, for truth, for our children, for the soul of America, and for you and your family.

Your mission lives on, and we are the ones who carry it forward.

Rest now, brother. You’ve done more than anyone could have asked of you.

I miss you, I love you, and I will make it my life’s work to finish the mission you started.

Cliff Maloney is the CEO of Citizens Alliance and Founder of the PA CHASE. He can be found at @Maloney on X.