Jillian Michaels Said Many of Charlie Kirk’s Messages “Resonated” With Her Son, Phoenix

The shooting and death of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk resulted in many tributes from his supporters he gained during his lifetime. The news also encouraged celebrities to reveal their feelings about his death and legacy.

Amid Charlie's tributes, fitness trainer and former The Biggest Loser coach Jillian Michaels shared with the world that she was one of the activist's supporters and how his views inspired her son.

Here's what to know.

On Wednesday, Sept. 10 2025, Jillian took to Instagram to express her condolences to Charlie's family after the news broke that day that he was shot to death that afternoon at Utah Valley University. She posted a photo of him posing with her son, Phoenix, and wrote a lengthy caption about how she chose to remember him.

"Today the world lost a father, a husband, and a cultural force who encouraged honest debate and communication with those who disagree with us," Jillian wrote. "I'm utterly heartbroken and my prayers are with his family.

Jillian's continued reflecting on the time her son got to meet Charlie in-person. She shared Phoenix "took three flights just to shake his hand" and also snagged a photo op. The reality TV alum later told Fox News that the meetup happened after Charlie reached out to her to participate in a Turning Point USA event. Jillian said that, when she discussed the opportunity with her son, "flipped out" and, despite being on vacation with his other mom, her ex-wife Heidi Rhoades, he knew he couldn't miss it.

"I said, 'Honey, you know what? I'm working the entire week,'" she explained to the outlet. "'Like, you're gonna have to take an unaccompanied minor trip to get to L.A., an unaccompanied minor trip to get to Miami, and then you can fly with Uncle G, who's my business partner, from Miami to Tampa. But it's like, it's gonna be frigging, it's going to be a nightmare, and you're going to have to travel a lot.'"

"He's like, 'I don't care,'" she added. "'I don't care, I'll do it. Whatever needs to happen.' And sure enough, he did do it. He took all three flights, and he accompanied me throughout the entire three-day event."

Jillian also said her son and her daughter, Lukensia, were both fans of Charlie's and take credit for exposing her to him. While she said his views affected both her kids, the husband and father of two's messages especially "resonated" with her son.

"Charlie had a very unique way of speaking to young boys in a culture that has diminished them and essentially told them that they are needed," she said. "He empowered them to be better husbands, better boyfriends, better sons, better fathers. And I found it very encouraging that that was a message my son was resonating with. I came to learn actually only last night that my daughter was also a pretty big fan."

In addition to discussing how well Charlie treated her son, Jillian also ended her Instagram tribute to him by urging "all of our leaders on both sides of the aisle, of all colors, all genders, and all orientations need to set a better example. Come together. Choose empathy," for the Republican influencer. Ironically, one of Charlie's most controversial videos involved him stating, "I can't stand the word empathy, actually. I think empathy is a made-up, new-age term that does a lot of damage."