Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican known for his "disagree better" initiative promoting civil discourse, addressed the assassination in multiple press conferences and interviews, including on Fox News' Special Report on Friday.
He described the killing as "horrifying" and an assault on democratic values, emphasizing the need to combat online conspiracy theories and "ugly" celebrations in "dark corners" of social media. Cox, who has previously urged Trump to unify the nation after assassination attempts on the president, called for Americans to "choose a different path" from rage and violence, particularly among young people.
In a key remark during his Fox News appearance, Cox highlighted the outpouring of bipartisan support he received, stating that "hundreds of Democratic officials had reached out to him to express their ‘true sadness’ and disgust at the attack."
JUST IN — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on suspected assassin's motive: "This is someone who hated Charlie Kirk, and hated his message and hated what he was doing — and decided to use political violence to end his life... This is an assault on not just him, but on all of us." |… pic.twitter.com/ahnTrNBKIy
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 12, 2025
He noted this as evidence of cross-party unity in condemning political violence, contrasting it with the divisive online reactions. Cox also spoke directly with Kirk's family, describing their grief as "devastating" and reaffirming Utah's pursuit of the death penalty for the perpetrator, aligning with Kirk's own past advocacy for capital punishment.