Article continues below advertisementCharlie Kirk and J.D. Vance Were Longtime FriendsSource: MEGAJ.D. Vance flew Charlie Kirk's casket home after the right-wing activist was assassinated.Erika Kirk and J.D. Vance's friendship stems from the vice president's close ties to her husband, Charlie Kirk.In a lengthy statement after Charlie was killed on September 10, J.D. revealed he formed a close bond with Charlie when he appeared on Tucker Carlson's Fox show in 2017."Afterwards a name I barely knew sent me a DM on twitter and told me I did a great job.