President Donald Trump said that investigators are “making big progress” in the hunt for the person who fatally shot conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah event on Wednesday.

“I hear they’re making big progress, and we’ll have to see what happens,” Trump told reporters before boarding Marine One en route to New York. He added that the shooter was “an animal” who would be “dealt with very appropriately.”

When asked about a possible motive, Trump said, “I have an indication, yeah, but we’ll let you know about that later.”

The president also confirmed he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral in Arizona in the coming days. “They’ve asked me to go,” Trump said, adding, “I think I have an obligation.” He said he believed the service would take place next weekend, though details are still being arranged.

Vice President JD Vance was expected to accompany Kirk’s casket aboard Air Force Two as it travelled from Utah to Arizona on Friday.

Trump said he spoke at length with Kirk’s widow, Erika, describing her as “devastated.” “We had a long talk, and she’s devastated. She’s absolutely devastated, as you can imagine,” he told reporters. The Kirks have two young children.

Asked about his own security following the assassination, Trump responded, “Not really,” though protective measures have been increased. Instead, he said his concern was for the nation at large, blaming the “radical left” for political violence without offering evidence.

“We have a great country. We have a radical left group of lunatics out there, just absolute lunatics, and we’re going to get that problem solved,” he said. “I’m only concerned for the country.”

Trump also urged his supporters to remain peaceful, invoking Kirk’s own message. “Kirk was an advocate of nonviolence,” Trump said. “That’s the way I’d like to see people respond” to his killing.

“Hopefully we’ll have him,” Trump said of the shooter. “And we will deal with him very appropriately.”

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