Trump admin updates: White House officials hold prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk

Republican lawmakers gathered at the Kennedy Center.

Last Updated: September 14, 2025, 9:58 PM EDT

White House officials and Republican lawmakers gathered at the Kennedy Center at 6 p.m. to hold a prayer vigil in remembrance of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

On Saturday, after long promising to impose consequences on Russia in an effort to get President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump pressed NATO nations to join him before he imposes potential sanctions.

Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that there is an appetite in Congress to impose sanctions on Russia, which he said are "overdue."

Sep 11, 2025, 5:21 PM EDT

Trump says 'making big progress' in search for Kirk shooter

President Trump was asked if he was concerned that authorities have not yet apprehended the person who killed Charlie Kirk, now more than 24 hours after the shooting.

"Well, I hear they're making big progress, and we'll have to see what happens," Trump said.

Pressed if he knew the shooter's motivation, Trump said he has "an indication, yeah, but we'll let you know about that later."

Sep 11, 2025, 5:15 PM EDT

Trump says not concerned about his safety, only for country

President Trump, departing the White House on Thursday, was asked if he's concerned for his safety after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

"Not really," Trump said. "I'm really concerned for out country. We have a great country. We have a radical left group of lunatics out there, just absolute lunatics, and we're going to get that problem solved. I'm only concerned for the country."

Trump was asked how he wants to see his supporters respond to Kirk's murder.

"I think that the way he was, he was an advocate of nonviolence. That's the way I'd like to see people respond," Trump said.

Sep 11, 2025, 5:13 PM EDT

Trump says he had a long talk with Charlie Kirk's widow

Trump told reporters that he spoke with Charlie Kirk's widow Erika.

"She's devastated. She's absolutely devastated, as you can imagine," he said.

Sep 11, 2025, 5:03 PM EDT

Justice Department appeals block on Lisa Cook firing

The Trump Administration is asking an appeals court to expedite its challenge to a lower court's order keeping Lisa Cook as a Federal Reserve Governor.


In a filing earlier Thursday, Department of Justice lawyers urged the D.C. Circuit to decide whether to stay the court order by Sept. 15 – one day ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee's scheduled meeting.

Lisa Cook, in Washington, June 25, 2025 and President Donald Trump, August 22, 2025, in Washington.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb concluded that the allegations of mortgage fraud against Cook did not provide sufficient cause to remove her from her role, in part because the claims predate her time in office.

However, the Trump administration argued the allegations "at a minimum reflect a lack of care in financial matters that the President determined was inconsistent with Cook's holding a position of public financial trust on the Federal Reserve Board."

-ABC News' Peter Charalambous

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