WASHINGTON: Former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a strong statement following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a close Trump ally. Trump said he was “filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk,” describing the act as cowardly and unacceptable. He added that while Kirk’s life was cut short, “his voice has become bigger and grander than ever before.” The statement came after Kirk was shot dead while addressing a crowd at a Utah university, sparking nationwide outrage and calls for heightened security at political events.