Megyn Kelly Breaks Down Live on Air Over Charlie Kirk’s Death — Were They Friends?

As the day unfolded like any other, American journalist Megyn Kelly was recording her podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, when she received the shocking news that Charlie Kirk had been shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025. Eventually, she learned the bullet wound proved fatal, and Kirk died.

Overcome with emotion, Kelly struggled to maintain her composure as she processed the news. She then dove into reactions from those close to Kirk, including President Donald Trump and the COO of his organization, Turning Point USA, where Kirk had served as executive director. See Kelly’s on-air reaction to his death and learn more about their relationship.

During an episode of The Megyn Kelly Show filmed on Sept. 10, 2025, Kelly learned that her close friend Charlie Kirk had been shot and killed during his speaking event at Utah Valley University, organized by his company, Turning Point USA, earlier that day.

In a clip of the show now circulating on Reddit, Kelly can be seen reacting to the news. Initially shocked after checking her phone, she says, “Oh, good God. Yep, he’s dead. It’s official, it’s from the COO of Turning Point.” She then reads aloud the message the COO posted via X (formerly Twitter) announcing Kirk’s passing: “Charlie went to his eternal reward with Jesus Christ in heaven.”

Trying to hold back tears, Kelly continues reading, “Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action will be closed for business until Monday the 15th, likely longer. If you’re in the field or traveling, please cancel everything and return home immediately. All internal and external meetings are canceled.” The message also mentioned that the company would be offering grieving and counseling services to its team.

Kelly then apologized to her viewer, saying, “I am so sorry to be bringing you this news. I’m so sorry for what it means for our country, for Charlie, poor dear Charlie, for his family. Sorry for what it’s going to mean for the debates that we have yet to have, that he would have won, he would have put everyone to shame as he had been.”

She then transitions from expressing grief to expressing anger, telling viewers, “I’m angry, really f--king angry about how this happens, why this happened, and why we don’t have a person in custody.”

Then, she looks at the camera and notes that Donald Trump is weighing in on Kirk’s assassination, and shares his message. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she continues with the show.

While Kirk’s death has struck a chord with many in multiple ways, Kelly’s raw reaction raises the question: Just how close were she and Kirk?

Kelly and Kirk were not only known to collaborate on their platforms, but they were also friends, a fact made clear by her emotional reaction to the news of his death during a live taping of The Megyn Kelly Show. She was clearly fond of Kirk and the political work he was doing, believing he had much more to accomplish before his life was cut short.

Kelly continued her commentary even after learning about his death and later posted on X that her focus was on ensuring Kirk’s killer was caught and “That we amplify Charlie’s message to the mountaintops and not retreat in spreading it even one f--king inch.”