"I think we have him in high-security custody," he said. he, and the media reports.

'We have him': Trump says suspect 'in custody' for Charlie Kirk assassination https://t.co/Ttl2P6ITuQ— Elaine Greenwood (@ElaineGreenwo13) September 12, 2025

The American president did not want to reveal his identity, but he confirmed that there will be new information during the day.

However, he said that he received the information that the suspect for Kirk's assassination had been arrested"five minutes before he entered the studio", adding, at the beginning, that"someone very close" to the suspect tipped off the information about him to the authorities.

"I hope he gets the death penalty"

BREAKING: President Trump on Charlie Kirk suspected assassin: "I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody." pic.twitter.com/wAAGegrrWI — Fox News (@FoxNews) September 12, 2025

Trump praised local authorities, saying they"did a great job and everyone cooperated."

"Everything turned out well," Trump said, adding that he hopes Kirk's killer gets the death penalty."Kirk was the best person and he didn't deserve this," he said.

He then added that Utah Governor Spencer Cox had also signaled that he would seek the harshest punishment for Kirk's attacker.

" In Utah, they have the death penalty, and you have a very good governor there," Trump said.

" He was a brilliant guy who helped me with TikTok," Trump said, adding that Republicans normally never get the votes of young voters.

"I've never seen young people rally around one person like they did around Charlie," Trump said.

He also said he didn't want to watch the video of the shooting because he didn't want to remember Kirk that way. He said that he had heard that the video was"terrible".

President Trump states that the suspect in Charlie Kirk's assassination has been arrested in southern Utah, adding that the assassin's own father turned him in. pic.twitter.com/L5Eq0vdgNW— American Press 🗽 (@americanspress) September 12, 2025

"He betrayed him..."

However, as the conversation progressed, Trump said that the suspect was betrayed by his father, and that he was 28 or 29 years old.

Recall that Kirk, otherwise a Trump associate, was shot in the neck on Wednesday while addressing an audience at the University of Utah. He was taken to hospital, but died shortly afterwards.

He was hit by a sniper, from a distance of about 200 meters.

A manhunt was launched for the killer, and all those detained and questioned were released. The manhunt then continued, and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released images of a person believed to be connected to Kirk's murder.

The shooter is believed to have fired once from a nearby rooftop in a"targeted attack" on Kirk, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety, which is investigating along with the FBI.

US President Donald Trump ordered flags across the country to be flown at half-staff in Kirk's honor.