Fact Check: Did RFK Jr say he met Charlie Kirk in 2001 and they became 'soulmates'?

WASHINGTON, DC: Conservative icon Charlie Kirk's tragic killing was one of the most shocking incidents of 2025, as people around the world mourned his untimely death. Several politicians also remembered Kirk for his powerful speeches and their personal interactions with him.

Recently, a rumor began circulating online, claiming that Robert F Kennedy Jr said he met Charlie Kirk in 2001 and that they became “soulmates.” But is there any truth to this rumor? Did RFK Jr actually make such a statement, or is it just another online fabrication? Let’s find out below. 

Claim: RFK Jr said he met Charlie Kirk in 2001 and they became 'soulmates'

In September 2025, a video went viral online showing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr claiming he met Charlie Kirk on his podcast, 'The Charlie Kirk Show,' in July 2001. By the end of the recording, Kennedy said, they had become “soulmates” and “spiritual brothers.”

The video circulated widely on X and Instagram, where RFK Jr was heard saying: “I met Charlie for the first time in July of 2001. I went on his podcast, and I think we approached each other with a lot of trepidation at that time, but by the end of that podcast we were soulmates, we were spiritual brothers and we were friends.

And over the next couple of years our friendship blossomed. He ended up being the primary architect of my unification with President Trump, which I did my endorsement at his rally, at the Turning Point rally in Scottsdale, and he was the one who put the sparklers on the stage when I showed up,” he added.

Fact Check: True, RFK Jr did make the statement and the video is genuine

RFK Jr did make the statement claiming he met Charlie Kirk in 2001, and the video is authentic. It was not the product of artificial intelligence.

Several news outlets, including CBS News and C-SPAN, published longer versions of the footage, confirming that Kennedy made the statement on September 15, 2025.

He said this during a prayer vigil held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, for the late Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, who was fatally shot in Utah during an event on September 10.

However, it would have been impossible for RFK Jr and Kirk to have met in July 2001 for the podcast, as Kirk would have been only 7 years old at the time. Moreover, 'The Charlie Kirk Show' did not launch until May 1, 2019.

It is highly likely that the HHS Secretary misspoke and meant to say 2021, as he did appear on Kirk's podcast in July 2021. Furthermore, RFK Jr’s comment that “over the next couple of years” their friendship blossomed aligns more closely with the timeline leading up to his appointment by President Donald Trump in 2024 as head of HHS, according to Snopes. 

RFK Jr describes Charlie Kirk as 'architect' of his unification with Trump

During Kirk's emotional vigil on Sunday, September 14, RFK Jr called the Turning Point USA co-founder the “architect” of his unification with Donald Trump in 2024.

RFK Jr also shared a personal anecdote, mentioning that his niece was bringing a Bible to Europe for college because she wanted “to be like Charlie Kirk.” He recalled a conversation with Kirk where they discussed the dangers of challenging entrenched interests. “He asked if I was scared of dying. And I said, ‘There’s a lot worse things than dying,’” RFK Jr said.

Following Kirk’s death, RFK Jr added: “It’s our job to win this battle for our country.”