University Where Charlie Kirk Died Pulls Commencement Speaker Amid Backlash

Utah Valley University, where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in September, has pulled its commencement speaker amid conservative backlash.

Kirk was fatally shot on September 10, 2026, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, during a question-and-answer session on campus. The shooting sparked a national outcry about political violence. The selection of Sharon McMahon, an author and educator, to speak at the commencement drew criticism from conservatives over her previous remarks about Kirk.

"Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and in consultation with public safety professionals and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without a featured commencement speaker for this year's ceremony," the university wrote in a statement on Thursday.

The university faced criticism from conservatives over tapping McMahon as a speaker due to her comments about Kirk, including that he was "not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates.”

Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, was among those who had criticized the announced move.

“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 wrote to X.

A spokesperson for McMahon told The Salt Lake Tribune that she "unequivocally condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk, repeatedly and publicly calling his death a tragedy and stressing that public debate must never be met with violence."

Newsweek reached out to McMahon for comment via her press contact form.

This is a breaking news story. Updates will follow.

Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our Al assistant, to help produce this story. Learn more about Martyn.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 1:14 PM.