Photo courtesy of White House Instagram

President Donald Trump offered a ray of hope to a nation reeling from the assassination of Charlie Kirk, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, on Thursday, CNBC reported.

Joe Kernen, a co-host of CNBC's "Squawk Box," spoke with Trump by phone, and the president said he was "shocked" by Kirk's murder.

"He was shocked about Charlie Kirk and how great of a guy he was," Kernen said. "And he said he helped him a lot in the last election and that he thought Charlie Kirk could have been president someday."

"And then he went on to say that the country will heal. He said he is focused on what he has been focused on, and that is winning, and that if the country wins and I do the best that I can to win for the country, we can all come back together," Kernen added.

Kirk, 31, a prominent Trump ally, was shot during a forum with students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Footage of the event showed Kirk bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound to his neck. He died later that afternoon at a hospital.

A search for the killer is underway. The FBI has offered a $100,000 reward for information that helps identify and arrest the individual responsible for Kirk's murder.

Trump ordered the American flag to be flown at half-mast until sunset on Sunday in honor of Kirk, which he announced on Wednesday. Trump also said he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, on Thursday.

"Nobody understood or had the feel for America's youth like Charlie. He was loved and respected by all, especially me, but now he is gone. Melania and my deepest condolences to his beautiful wife Erica and his family. Charlie, we love you!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday.

By NNP=Sung Ku Hong, Chief Reporter / Special Correspondent info@newsandpost.com