Sombre, silent mood as White House flags loweredpublished at 22:49 British Summer Time
22:49 BST
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
Image source, Reuters
It’s become very quiet – and very sombre – at the White House following President Trump’s announcement that Charlie Kirk has died.
Just a few moments ago, members of the White House press pool gathered outside after being told that the American flags at the White House were being lowered to half-staff.
It was very quiet outside when that announcement came through, and the only sounds I heard for a few moments were the shutters of cameras and a few reporters speaking softly into cameras, or amongst themselves.
The flag at the North Lawn of the White House came down at exactly 17:20pm EST. The flag on the South Lawn has also been lowered.
There are few staffers still immediately visible in the offices.
Earlier, there was a sense of clear, visceral sense of shock among them. Kirk had close ties with the president, his family and members of the administration – and many of even the younger, junior staffers are members of his enormous, intensely engaged audience of young US conservatives.