Meghan McCain honors her late friend Charlie Kirk after his assassination in Utah

PHOENIX — Meghan McCain said she wants her friend Charlie Kirk to be remembered for not only his political activism, but also for the way he welcomed and inspired others.

Kirk, a close ally of Trump, was assassinated during the kickoff event of his group’s American Comeback Tour at Utah Valley University.

“This is one of the worst like top 10 worst experiences of my life easily,” McCain told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos after President Donald Trump broke news of his death.

Meghan McCain reeling in aftermath of Charlie Kirk assassination

She said the profound grief she feels in the wake of his death stems not only from their friendship, but also from the sense of hope he embodied for the future of the Republican Party.

“In an era when there’s a lot of conservative commentators who can be very extreme and ugly and mean, he was the opposite,” McCain said. “I just don’t think he’s a figure that’s replaceable. So it leaves this giant void not only emotionally, but politically as well.”

She said part of what defined Kirk’s greatness as a leader was his commitment to making others feel seen, heard and genuinely welcomed within the Republican Party.

“He was really the future in a lot of ways, and I can’t express to you there’s some people in the party that really treat me like I’m just this RINO freak that hates Trump,” McCain said. “He was so warm and welcoming, and that is not always the case.”

Meghan McCain said Charlie Kirk was a role model for young men

Kirk was an influential figure in conservative politics, both in Arizona and across the U.S. He was considered a potential Republican gubernatorial candidate for Arizona’s 2026 election, but he wound up endorsing U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs.

Trump praised Kirk for his ability to connect with young people, a sentiment McCain echoed when speaking about her late friend.

She shared a story of how Kirk inspired one of her friend’s sons, a 15-year-old boy named Colton, to succeed in both athletics and academics.

“I contacted Charlie, told him the story and he sent Colton this giant box of hats and Turning Point paraphernalia and a handwritten note that was signed,” McCain said. “He really went out of his way, and that’s the kind of person he was.”

She also said this is a paradigm-shifting moment in U.S. history.

“To have him die in such a fashion … this is really a paradigm, history-making moment in, obviously, the worst way,” McCain said.