Matthew Warner Williams

Former staffer for @JDVance | Washington, DC | Cincinnati native & proud Ohioan | @SMU Alum 🐴 ⬆️ | Personal Account | retweets ≠ endorsements

[JD Vance @JDVance]

Lindsey Graham came from humble beginnings and became one of the most powerful lawmakers in the most powerful nation on Earth. His story was a fundamentally American one.

Early in my Senate tenure, I remember getting into a shouting match with Lindsey about a Ukraine funding bill at lunch and then learning the very next day that he was pushing rail legislation I really cared about behind the scenes. That was Lindsey Graham. He fought like hell for the things he believed in, and he was just as willing to go to bat for you when it counted.

Lindsey had the best sense of humor in the Senate. He loved the game of politics. He was constantly asking which races were up and down, and how he could help. As he liked to say, “I don't care if you're an isolationist or a religious fanatic, so long as you have an R next to your name, I want you to win.”

We certainly had our disagreements. But I couldn't help but like him. A one of a kind figure in our politics. I'll be praying for him and his family.

[Matthew Warner Williams @m_williams]

@hodgetwins @JDVance She never had one.

[Matthew Warner Williams @m_williams]

Laura Looney @LauraLoomer

[JD Vance @JDVance]

The president literally sent a video to the March for Life today and encouraged me to accept their invitation, which I was happy to do.

It's interesting that some "conservative influencers" spend all of their time attacking the administration and sowing division. Disgraceful actually.

[Matthew Warner Williams @m_williams]

These are uncertain times, but God’s grace remains.

I pray not only for my own salvation, but for our world, our country, and our communities.

May God bless us all.

[Stephen Miller @StephenM]

Erika Kirk’s awe-inspiring strength, resilience and determination in the face of unimaginable grief is a testament that will endure and inspire through the ages. We pledge, together, take up Charlie’s mantle and carry it to victory. May God forever bless and keep the Kirk family.

[Matthew Warner Williams @m_williams]

Having working on the Vance Senate Campaign in 2021 and 2022, I had the privilege of getting to know Charlie. His leadership and advocacy was unmatched in forming a collation of a new generation of young conservatives.

I am heartbroken.

[JD Vance @JDVance]

A while ago, probably in 2017, I appeared on Tucker Carlson's Fox show to talk about God knows what. Afterwards a name I barely knew sent me a DM on twitter and told me I did a great job. It was Charlie Kirk, and that moment of kindness began a friendship that lasted until today.

Charlie was fascinated by ideas and always willing to learn and change his mind. Like me, he was skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016. Like me, he came to see President Trump as the only figure capable of moving American politics away from the globalism that had dominated for our entire lives. When others were right, he learned from them. When he was right--as he usually was--he was generous. With Charlie, the attitude was never, "I told you so." But: "welcome."

Charlie was one of the first people I called when I thought about running for senate in early 2021. I was interested but skeptical there was a pathway. We talked through everything, from the strategy to the fundraising to the grassroots of the movement he knew so well. He introduced me to some of the people who would run my campaign and also to Donald Trump Jr. "Like his dad, he's misunderstood. He's extremely smart, and very much on our wavelength." Don took a call from me because Charlie asked him too.

Long before I ever committed (even in my mind) to running, Charlie had me speak to his donors at a TPUSA event. He walked me around the room and introduced me. He gave me honest feedback on my remarks. He had no reason to do this, no expectation that I'd go anywhere. I was polling, at that point, well below 5 percent. He did it because we were friends, and because he was a good man.

When I became the VP nominee--something Charlie advocated for both in public and private--Charlie was there for me. I was so glad to be part of the president's team, but candidly surprised by the effect it had on our family. Our kids, especially our oldest, struggled with the attention and the constant presence of the protective detail. I felt this acute sense of guilt, that I had conscripted my kids into this life without getting their permission. And Charlie was constantly calling and texting, checking on our family and offering guidance and prayers. Some of our most successful events were organized not by the campaign, but by TPUSA. He wasn't just a thinker, he was a doer, turning big ideas into bigger events with thousands of activists. And after every event, he would give me a big hug, tell me he was praying for me, and ask me what he could do. "You focus on Wisconsin," he'd tell me. "Arizona is in the bag." And it was.

Charlie genuinely believed in and loved Jesus Christ. He had a profound faith. We used to argue about Catholicism and Protestantism and who was right about minor doctrinal questions. Because he loved God, he wanted to understand him.

Someone else pointed out that Charlie died doing what he loved: discussing ideas. He would go into these hostile crowds and answer their questions. If it was a friendly crowd, and a progressive asked a question to jeers from the audience, he'd encourage his fans to calm down and let everyone speak. He exemplified a foundational virtue of our Republic: the willingness to speak openly and debate ideas.

Charlie had an uncanny ability to know when to push the envelope and when to be more conventional. I've seen people attack him for years for being wrong on this or that issue publicly, never realizing that privately he was working to broaden the scope of acceptable debate.

He was a great family man. I was talking to President Trump in the Oval Office today, and he said, "I know he was a very good friend of yours." I nodded silently, and President Trump observed that Charlie really loved his family. The president was right. Charlie was so proud of Erika and the two kids. He was so happy to be a father. And he felt such gratitude for having found a woman of God with whom he could build a family.

Charlie Kirk was a true friend. The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him. I am on more than a few group chats with Charlie and people he introduced me to over the years. We celebrate weddings and babies, bust each other's chops, and mourn the loss of loved ones. We talk about politics and policy and sports and life. These group chats include people at the very highest level of our government. They trusted him, loved him, and knew he'd always have their backs. And because he was a true friend ,you could instinctively trust the people Charlie introduced you to. So much of the success we've had in this administration traces directly to Charlie's ability to organize and convene. He didn't just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.

I was in a meeting in the West Wing when those group chats started lighting up with people telling Charlie they were praying for him. And that's how I learned the news that my friend had been shot. I prayed a lot over the next hour, as first good news and then bad trickled in.

God didn't answer those prayers, and that's OK. He had other plans. And now that Charlie is in heaven, I'll ask him to talk to big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly.

You ran a good race, my friend.

We've got it from here.

[Jared Small 💁🏼‍♀️ @jaredsmall]

We need a national revival. This country needs to come back to Jesus.

[Matthew Warner Williams @m_williams]

Absolutely needless and tragic. My heart goes out to the Kirk family. https://t.co/iWkV14jOBE

[Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11]

It’s all about Jesus.

[MELANIA TRUMP @MELANIATRUMP]

Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed.

Charlie Kirk’s life should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate awareness elevates family, love, and country.

[Stephen Miller @StephenM]

Our hearts are shattered. America has lost one of its greatest champions. A loving family has lost the most extraordinary husband and father. All of us must now dedicate ourselves to defeating the evil that stole Charlie from this world.

[Boris Johnson @BorisJohnson]

The murder of Charlie Kirk is a tragedy, and a sign of the utter desperation and cowardice of those who could not defeat him in argument. Charlie Kirk has been killed not for espousing extremist views - because he didn’t. He has been killed for saying things that used to be simple common sense. He has been killed because he had the courage to stand up publicly for reasonable opinions held by millions and millions of ordinary people both in the US and Britain. The world has a shining new martyr to free speech.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.

[JD Vance @JDVance]

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

[Donald Trump Jr. @DonaldJTrumpJr]

This isn’t my strong suit and I don’t even know how to begin to put into words the loss I am feeling right now over the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Charlie wasn’t just a friend — he was like a little brother to me - and to millions of people around the world - he was a true inspiration.

He was one of the most courageous, principled men I’ve ever known, and he lived every day with purpose. His faith in God was unshakable, his love for Erika was inspiring, and the way he adored and cared for his two beautiful kids showed the kind of man he truly was.

Charlie dedicated his life to something bigger than himself. He fought tirelessly for this country, for the values that make America great, and for the next generation. The impact he had on young people — reaching them in masses, giving them courage to stand up, to think for themselves, and to fight for freedom — is immeasurable. There is no question that Charlie’s work and his voice helped my father win the presidency. He changed the direction of this nation.

Charlie was never a threat to anyone. He was civil, he was kind, he listened and responded with respect. The only “threat” he ever posed was that he was incredibly effective. He was a powerful messenger of truth, and people heard that truth. That’s what made him a target.

This loss is absolutely devastating — not only for Erika and the kids, but for our country. We’ve lost a leader, a fighter, and a man whose character and conviction were rare. Too rare. To think that his life was cut short by a brutal, heinous, evil act is beyond comprehension. It is horrible and it is heartbreaking.

Moments like this remind us just how fragile life is. We can’t wait to tell people how much they mean to us — we can’t admire them in silence. Charlie knew he was loved, but I want to say it again: he was a brother to me, and I will carry that with me forever.

I know Charlie’s legacy doesn’t end here. He poured into millions of young people who will carry forward the torch he lit. He built something that will outlast him, because it was grounded in faith, in truth, and in courage. And as his friend, I will never forget him. I’ll honor him by loving boldly, speaking truth without fear, and continuing his spirit of courage. His fight lives on in all of us who loved him.

This is an unimaginable loss. For me, for his family, for everyone who loved him, and for America. Rest in peace, brother. You will be missed more than words can ever say — but your legacy will never be forgotten and we will keep fighting the good fight.

[JD Vance @JDVance]

Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father.

[The White House @WhiteHouse]

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” - President Donald J. Trump

[JD Vance @JDVance]

Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military.

[Matthew Warner Williams @m_williams]

@krassenstein @dpsmain1 IT DOES'NT MATTER WHAT DRUGS THEY'RE TRAFFICKING.

[Matthew Warner Williams @m_williams]

@krassenstein Please, please keep defending drug traffickers. It's such a great look and shows the type of human being you are and the values of your political party. Enjoy decades of GOP governorship.

[Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11]

Ignore the geriatric haters in the US Senate. Sec. Kennedy is advancing the people’s agenda and We The People have his back 100%.