WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 Vice President JD Vance said Monday while hosting Charlie Kirk鈥檚 radio show that he is 鈥渄esperate鈥 for national unity after the conservative political activist鈥檚 killing but that finding common ground with people who celebrated the assassination of his friend is impossible.
The Republican vice president filled in as host of 鈥淭he Charlie Kirk Show鈥 from his ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House. The livestream of the two-hour program was broadcast in the White House press briefing room and featured a series of appearances by White House and administration officials who knew the 31-year-old Kirk.
In his closing remarks, Vance criticized what he said were lies about Kirk that he blamed for the killing. He also promised that the Trump administration will act to stop anyone who would kill another person because of their words.
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鈥淚鈥檓 desperate for our country to be united in condemnation of the actions and the ideas that killed my friend,鈥 Vance said on the program. 鈥淚 want it so badly that I will tell you a difficult truth. We can only have it with people who acknowledge that political violence is unacceptable.鈥
Vance鈥檚 self-described 鈥渕oonlighting鈥 as substitute radio host, as well as the broadcasting of the program from the White House complex, served as a powerful reminder of Kirk鈥檚 close relationship with the Trump-Vance team and the valuable role Kirk鈥檚 operation boosting youth voter turnout played on the campaign.
The Republican vice president, 41, was especially close to Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, one of the nation鈥檚 largest political organizations with chapters on high school and college campuses. The two began a friendship nearly a decade ago, and Kirk advocated for Vance to be Republican Donald Trump鈥檚 choice for vice president last year. Kirk also was someone who had Trump's ear.
Vance spoke in the show's opening segment Monday about being at a loss for words as he sat with Erika Kirk last week. But he said she told him something he'll never forget, which was that her husband had never raised his voice to her and was never 鈥渃ross or mean-spirited to her.鈥
Vance allowed that he could not say the same about himself.
鈥淚 took from that moment that I needed to be a better husband and I needed to be a better father,鈥 the vice president said on the program, which was streamed on Rumble. 鈥淭hat is the way I'm going to honor my friend.鈥
Others who joined Vance on Kirk's program were chief of staff Susie Wiles, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., press secretary Karoline Leavitt and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
The conversation turned toward fighting what Vance described as 鈥渇estering violence on the far left鈥 with Miller, the first guest.
鈥淲ith God as my witness, we鈥檙e going to use every resource we have at the Department of Justice, Homeland Security and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks,鈥 Miller said.
Miller added that 鈥渋t will happen, and we will do it in Charlie鈥檚 name.鈥
Law enforcement officials have said they believe the suspect accused of killing Kirk acted alone.
Associated Press writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.
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