Analysis-Death of Charlie Kirk lays bare deep US political divisions

A Make America Great Again hat sits at a table inside a tent bearing the slogan 'The American Comeback Tour', cordoned off after U.S. right-wing activist, commentator, Charlie Kirk, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, U.S. September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Jim Urquhart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -What was meant to be a moment of silence in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday for the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk erupted in shouting and finger-pointing, an episode that provided a bitter illustration of a nation divided by political acrimony.

As news of Kirk's fatal shooting at a Utah university spread, lawmakers began to argue how to best honor him. U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican, raised her hand and asked for someone to lead a prayer, adding, “Silent prayers get silent results.”