Conservatives Furious With University Where Charlie Kirk ...

By Peter Aitken

Politics Weekend Editor

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Students and conservative political figures have taken issue with Utah Valley University (UVU), the campus where Charlie Kirk was fatally shot last September, for selecting a commencement speaker who was critical of the right-wing activist following his death.

Kirk's supporters and politicians have hit out at the university for bringing author and educator Sharon McMahon to speak at the university, highlighting comments she made following his death in which she tried to address why "Charlie Kirk was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates."

Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, questioned the university on X on Thursday and wrote: "Why would you do this, UVU?"

In a post on Saturday, the senator posted: "What if Charlie Kirk had been a beloved figure on the left, rather than among conservatives? And what if Sharon McMahon were a conservative—one who had defamed Charlie Kirk immediately after his horrific assassination at UVU? Would UVU have scheduled her to speak at commencement?"

"Not in a million years," he continued. "Not in ten million years. So why does UVU think this is okay? It's not."

Salt Lake County GOP chair Mike Carey urged students to "raise hell with the Board Chair," although he stressed that "this isn't about cancelling McMahon."

"It's simply good feedback to the administration and the Board that inviting a victim-blaming moral relativist because she's a popular podcaster to speak on the campus where Charlie Kirk was murdered in cold blood AND shower her with an honorary degree is both an insult and beneath UVU," he wrote on X.

Newsweek reached out to UVU by email on Saturday afternoon for comment.

Why It Matters

Kirk, the conservative activist and co‑founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while speaking at a campus event at UVU, an attack that authorities described as targeted. His death prompted an immediate national response, with tributes from political leaders, entertainers and supporters, and reignited concerns about political violence and security for high‑profile speakers.

The aftermath was marked by a backlash against critics of Kirk, as prominent conservatives called for people who made negative or critical comments about him to be reported to employers or removed from their jobs. Figures such as Vice President JD Vance openly urged supporters to “call their employer” when encountering criticism of Kirk, while media personalities and academics faced suspensions, firings, or intense pressure following remarks made after his death.

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What To Know

More than half a year since Kirk's death, some of his supporters remain sensitive to the comments and discussion that followed, including McMahon's own, which she initially posted to Instagram and Threads, but has since been taken down from both platforms.

Her post aimed to look at some of that backlash and help contextualize it. According to those who had seen the post before its removal, McMahon has captioned the analysis as follows: “These aren’t sound bites taken out of context. Millions of people feel they were harmed, and the murder that was horrific and should never have happened does not magically erase what was said or done.”

McMahon has built her career on the back of her experience as a history teacher, pivoting to become a "newsfluencer" based in Minnesota who has been nicknamed "America's Government Teacher." She has dedicated her platform to trying to keep users informed about developments in government, encouraging civic engagement, and answering user-submitted questions to her channel, "Sharon Says So."

McMahon said she was "deeply grateful for this honor," praising UVU as a school "whose work reflects the very best of what education can do: expand opportunity, strengthen communities and prepare people to serve the world around them. It is a privilege to be recognized by an institution with that kind of impact.”

UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez in a statement posted to the school's website announcing McMahon's appearance called her "an original," "a force of nature," and "a force for good."

"Sharon's work reminds us of the power we each hold, and that every individual is mighty in some way," Tuminez said. "She underlines how each of us can contribute to a vibrant democracy and how strength comes from knowledge, kindness, and collective action. I think our graduates are very lucky to have her as commencement speaker!”

The school described her upcoming appearance as "highly anticipated" in its March 26 announcement.

Kirk's supporters alleged McMahon took his comments out of context in "an effort to tarnish his name and minimize the tragedy."

The Turning Point USA chapter at UVU this week released a statement, saying that "while universities should welcome diverse viewpoints, platforming someone who treated a historic and tragic political assassination not as a moment to grieve but as an opportunity to create content is tone-deaf and disrespectful to those still affected, especially on this campus."

The group urged the school to consider one of the "countless better alternatives," although it did not suggest any.

The UVU College Republicans group also made clear their displeasure at the invitation for McMahon to speak at commencement, writing in a post on X: "UVU College Republicans strongly oppose the selection of Sharon McMahon as this year’s commencement speaker."

In a longer statement, the group wrote that students were "still grappling with the tragic loss of Charlie Kirk" and called McMahon's invitation to speak "an insult," urging the university to "not fuel the inconsiderate rhetoric dealt with since September 10th."

"We expect McMahon and other character assassins to never be permitted partnership with the University," the group wrote, adding that the university should "institutionally preserve Charlie Kirk's legacy, not promote those who tarnish and disparage his character."

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