Trump revealed that a close associate of the suspect tipped off the authorities; he referred to this informant as the suspect’s “minister” and “father.” According to Trump, “It was a minister who was involved with law enforcement… his good friend is a top U.S. Marshal – and they took it from there,” hinting that the suspect’s father advised him to surrender.

Authorities are expected to provide further details about the suspect’s arrest later on Friday. As of Friday morning, neither the FBI nor the Utah Department of Public Safety has verified Trump’s claim. Sources informed CNN the suspect was still being interrogated. Trump’s rare studio appearance coincided with just two days after the prominent conservative was killed at a Utah college event.

Trump emphasized his desire for the accused to receive the death penalty for the assassination, describing Kirk as a noteworthy individual. “Well, I hope he’s going to be found guilty, I would imagine and I hope he gets the death penalty,” Trump stated. “What he did to Charlie Kirk, he was a good person, he didn’t deserve this. He worked so hard and so well, everybody liked him.”

Utah Governor Spencer Cox has indicated his intention to seek the death penalty, Trump noted. “In Utah, they have the death penalty, and you have a very good governor there,” he commented. “The governor, I’ve gotten to know him, the governor is very intent on the death penalty in this case.”

The president traveled to New York City, his long-time residence, on Thursday for the Yankees’ remembrance game on September 11. He stayed the night and participated in the Fox & Friends interview. This supposed arrest followed previous official reports claiming they had “no idea” of the shooter’s whereabouts while sharing new surveillance footage of the suspect shortly after the attack.

The video shows the shooter running across the roof of the Lossee Center at Utah Valley University and jumping to the ground, before fleeing the scene moments after the shooting. Officials said the shooter left behind a palm print and a shoe print from a pair of Converse sneakers. The suspect is then believed to have fled to a nearby residential neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance and wife Usha canceled their plan to go to New York City for Ground Zero services on Thursday. Instead they rushed to Salt Lake City, Utah where they carried Kirk’s casket along with his wife, two kids, parents and close friends aboard Air Force Two back to his home state of Arizona.

The FBI Salt Lake City field office released video and images of the suspected shooter on Thursday. The Bureau also set up a webpage for updates that offered a $100,000 reward for those with information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible for Kirk’s murder.