After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September 2025, President Trump spoke at a memorial service at a stadium in Arizona:

In that private moment, on his dying day, we find everything we need to know about who Charlie Kirk truly was. He was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose. He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don't want the best for them. I'm sorry. I am sorry, Erika.

Commenting and consoling after a shooting or domestic attack has been a ritual for every president since the early 1990s.

What have presidents said each time they occurred?

How has presidential rhetoric changed over the past four decades?

And when do Presidents use political language — and when do they use spiritural and religious language — in their remarks?

Find out in the latest episode of C-SPAN's podcast "Extreme Mortman" — as we hear every president from Bill Clinton through Donald Trump speak about shootings, domestic attacks, and the people who died.

And for context and explanation, we're joined by a special guest: presidential historian Dr. Tevi Troy.

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