Summary
Donald Trump declined to deliver a message of national unity when he addressed tens of thousands of people gathered for the memorial to honor Charlie Kirk on Sunday – instead exclaiming that he “hates my opponents” and “doesn’t want what’s best for them”.
Here are the key moments of the day at a glance:
Donald Trump berated his political opponents in a speech that was part tribute and part a catalogue of grievances. The president praised Kirk as an “American martyr”, calling him “a giant of his generation”.
But Trump also talked about sending troops to Chicago, making a major autism announcement and complained about the outrage sparked by the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night comedy show. He hit out at the “radical left” and Joe Biden in a freewheeling address that was reminiscent of a campaign speech.
Elon Musk was spotted meeting Trump on the sidelines of the event. The two men shook hands months after a public falling out.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, publicly forgave the person charged with killed her husband. Appearing to talk about the suspect, she told the crowd: “That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and it is what Charlie would do.”
JD Vance was among speakers at the event, making multiple references to conservative talking points including anti-abortion sentiments and religiously-guided family values. Vance said: “He brought the truth that marriage and family were the highest callings, far more important than any job or educational credential.”
Other notable speakers included Pete Hegseth (who called Kirk a “warrior for Christ” in a decidedly martial speech; Marco Rubio, who compared Kirk to historical figures including Jesus; and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who told unspecified “enemies” that “You are nothing. You are wickedness”.
Donald Trump Jr used his speech to claim ‘we don’t silence’ opponents. Dozens of workers across the country, ranging from journalists to popular late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel, have been penalized as employers and public officials crack down on remarks that they regard as “inappropriate” towards Kirk.
Some 100,000 people are thought to have attended in and around the State Farm arena in Glendale, Arizona. Several attendees were leaving the stadium while Trump was speaking. Many in the crowd had turned up before dawn to secure a seat. By the time the event finished, they had been there more than 12 hours.
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The Guardian’s Lauren Gambino was among those who spent around 12 hours at the memorial venue to report on the service for Charlie Kirk.
She sends this dispatch from the ground:
The memorial was part spiritual revival and part political rally, with the program that included Donald Trump and prominent members of the president’s Make America Great Again (Maga) movement. Mourners obliged the red, white and blue “Sunday best” dress code request, filling the at-capacity domed stadium with stars, stripes and Maga hats.
“We’ve got it from here,” vice-president JD Vance said, memorializing Kirk, his friend and the founder of the youth activist group Turning Point USA as one of the most pre-eminent voices on the American right.
Emotions were raw in the arena as Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, took the stage and inhaled deeply. Dabbing tears from her eyes, she began her remarks to the rapt stadium, Trump among them.
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Donald Trump is back on Air Force One. Trump administration officials Dr Oz and Jeanine Pirro were spotted among those boarding the plane back to Washington DC.
Trump mocks Joe Biden in tribute speech
In a speech that ticked off several regular Trump talking points, the president also could not resist a dig at his predecessor Joe Biden.
Mocking the former president’s speech, Trump said:
When Joe Biden used to get up, remember the speeches, we will stop Maga. We will stop Maga. You know, he could barely get the words out. We will stop… I said: ‘Can somebody inform him that Maga means make America great again. How do you say you’re going to stop it?’ And Charlie understood that.
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Some people left stadium during Trump's speech
inside the State Farm arena in Glendale, Arizona
Several attendees were leaving the stadium while Trump continued his remarks in honor of Charlie Kirk – part remembrance, part grievance.
This happened just past 4pm local time (7pm ET), meaning some guests have spent more than 12 hours waiting for the speech. The president’s tribute started about an hour behind schedule.
Trump has expressed affection for Kirk, whose large crowds the president repeatedly complimented. But Trump has also veered from the service, teasing a major “medical” announcement, touting his tariffs and mocking Joe Biden.
He also announced that he would posthumously award Kirk the presidential medal of freedom, the highest civilian honor.
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Trump ends his speech by once again paying tribute to Charlie Kirk and bringing back on stage his widow, Erika Kirk.
Ending what was a markedly political address that also featured the words “fight! fight! fight!” (which Trump spoke directly after an attempt on his life in July 2024), the president ends by saying:
We grieve for the friend and leader that we have lost, but we go forward strengthened by his faith and bolstered by his courage and inspired by his example to defend the country he lived for, for the freedoms He died for and the values in which he so deeply believed. He believed in values that we should all believe in. Charlie created something very special. It’s called Turning Point USA, and under the leadership and love of Erika, it will become bigger and better and stronger than ever before.
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Trump mentions Jimmy Kimmel suspension
Trump claimed without evidence that commentators who were criticizing the suspension of the late-night comedy show hosted by Jimmy Kimmel implied Kirk had brought on his own death.
The president claimed some people reacted with “sick approval, excuses or even jubilation”, adding: “They are major losers”.
The controversy around Kimmel began after the comedian, in a recent broadcast, suggested that “many in Maga land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk”. Within a day, the FCC chair, Brendan Carr, condemned the comments as “truly sick” and suggested ABC could face regulatory consequences.
The suspension has prompted a slew of critiques from politicians and film and TV industry figures.
David Letterman, the veteran late-night host, condemned ABC’s decision while speaking at a festival hosted by the Atlantic.
“You can’t go around firing somebody because you’re fearful, or trying to suck up to an authoritarian, criminal administration in the Oval Office. That’s just not how this works,” Letterman said.
Damon Lindelof, a powerful Hollywood showrunner and creator of the ABC series Lost and other dramas, has promised not to work with Disney unless it puts Kimmel back on the air.
Lindelof wrote on Instagram: “I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon. If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it.”
Barack Obama also condemned what he called a “dangerous” escalation by the Trump administration. “After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like,” Obama wrote on X.
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Donald Trump moves on to blame what he claims are “networks of radical left maniacs” over Charlie Kirk’s murder.
The president gives no evidence for his claims, telling the arena:
The Department of Justice is also investigating networks of radical left maniacs who fund, organize, fuel and perpetrate political violence, and we think we know who many of them are, but law enforcement can only be the beginning of our response to Charlie’s murder over the last 11 days.
We have heard stories of commentators, influencers and others in our society who greeted his assassination with sick approval, excuses or even jubilation. You’ve heard that, so have I … some of the very same people who spent the last eight years trying to sit in moral judgment of anyone who disagreed with them about politics suddenly started cheering for murder.
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Trump’s address is reminiscent of his campaign rally speeches, featuring some of the president’s most oft-featured talking points.
While paying tribute to Kirk, Trump also lays into what he called “the radical left” and revels in his successful election.
He claims tariffs are “making us rich again, richer than anybody ever thought was possible”.
Trump also claims he “stopped the crime in Washington – took 12 days”.
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Trump says: 'I hate my opponents and I don't want the best for them'
Trump goes on to praise Kirk as a “missionary with a noble spirit” who did not hate his opponents.
But then, in direct contrast to Erika Kirk’s announcement of forgiveness, the president gave a message of anger, telling the crowd:
I hate my opponents and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry. I am sorry Erika, but now Erika can talk to me and the whole group, and maybe they can convince me that that’s not right, but I can’t stand my opponents.
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Trump talks of autism announcement on Monday
Trump is now talking to the crowd about an announcement on autism he is expected to make on Monday.
Trump claims his administration knows the cause of autism and will unveil it in a press conference.
The Trump administration is expected to tie pregnant women’s use of the popular medicine known as Tylenol (paracetamol) to a risk for autism, contrary to medical guidelines, the Washington Post has reported.
Medical guidelines say it is safe for pregnant women to take Tylenol, the over-the-counter pain medication whose active ingredient is acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol).
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Trump recounts key stages of Kirk’s life and work – but can’t bring himself not to mention politics with a reference to plans to send federal troops to Chicago.
Trump says: “Charlie was filled with a patriotic spirit from his youth, and he was an all American in everything he did. And one of the last things he said to me is, please Sir, save Chicago. We’re going to do that. We’re going to save Chicago from horrible crimes.”
Here is more on that story:
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Trump next mentions Kirk’s parents, telling them:
“To Charlie’s parents, who lost their beloved Son and to the entire Kirk family, we know that no words could ever be enough to fill the void he leaves behind. That’s a void that just can’t be filled.”
“But I hope the extraordinary outpouring of emotion over these past 11 days has comforted you with the knowledge that your son brought more good and love into this world in his 31 short years than most people, even very, very successful people can bring in a lifetime.”
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Trump echoes what many of the other speakers have done – calling Kirk a “martyr”.
Trump says Kirk’s “name will live forever in the eternal chronicle of America’s greatest patriots, he will live forever”.
He then goes on to pay tribute to Kirk’s widow Erika and the couple’s children and tells them the US shares in their “immense and overwhelming sorrow”.
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Trump pays tribute to Charlie Kirk
Donald Trump is addressing the tens of thousands of people attending the memorial.
The president says America is a nation “in shock and a nation in mourning”.
Trump says:
Less than two weeks ago, our country was robbed of one of the brightest flights of our times, a giant of his generation, and above all, a devoted husband, father, son, Christian and patriot, Charles James Kirk was heinously murdered by a radicalized, cold-blooded monster, for speaking the truth. That was in his heart he was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice for God, country for reason, and for common sense.
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Donald Trump enters stage as last speaker at Charlie Kirk's memorial service
Donald Trump, the last speaker of Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, has just entered the stage, following a eulogy by Kirk’s wife, Erika.
Trump entered the stage as Lee Greenwood performed God Bless the USA on stage.
“For America, for Charlie Kirk!” Greenwood said alongside Trump as the president looked on at the cheering crowd.
Erika Kirk concluded her speech, saying:
“Charlie’s life was a turning point for this country. It was a miracle… Choose prayer, choose courage, choose beauty, choose adventure, choose family, choose a life of faith. Most importantly, choose Christ.”
Donald Trump takes stage to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk
Donald Trump has taken the stage to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk, a close ally he has publicly grieved since he was shot 11 days ago.
Trump is the final speaker at the memorial.
Trump and Musk meet on sidelines of memorial event
During the speeches, Elon Musk was seen talking to Donald Trump in the president’s box at the State Farm stadium.
Musk was seen sitting next to the president and the pair shook hands.
The meeting came after a public falling out between Trump and his onetime close adviser.
Erika Kirk has vowed to continue the work of her husband as the new CEO of Turning Point USA, saying:
“I do not take that lightly. Charlie and I were united in purpose. His passion was my passion, and now his mission is my mission. Everything that Turning Point USA built through Charlie’s vision and hard work, we will make 10 times greater through the power of his memory.
Chapters will grow. Thousands of new ones will be created. TPUSA Faith will add 1000s of new pastors and congregations. Yes, campus events will continue, and we will continue to hold debates and dialogue.
The first amendment of our constitution is the most human amendment… No assassin will ever stop us for standing up to defend those rights.”
Erika Kirk on her husband's suspected shooter: 'I forgive him'
Erika Kirk has publicly forgiven her husband’s shooter, saying:
“My husband, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life. That young man, that young man.
On the cross, our savior said: ‘Father, forgive them for they not know what they do.’
That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and it is what Charlie would do.
The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love, love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”
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Erika Kirk went on to say:
“To all the men watching around the world: accept Charlie’s challenge and embrace true manhood… Love your wives and lead them. Love your children and protect them. Be the spiritual head of your home but please be a leader worth following.
Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals. You are one flesh, working together for the glory of God…
Women, I have a challenge for you too: be virtuous. Our strength is found in God’s design for our role. We are the guardians. We are the encouragers. We are the preservers. Guard your heart. Everything you do flows from it.”
Erika Kirk spoke of her marriage with her husband, saying:
“The greatest cause in Charlie’s life was trying to revive the American family. When he spoke to young people, he was always eager to tell them about God’s vision for marriage and how if they could just dare to live it out, it would enrich every part of their life in the same way that it enriched ours.
And someone once asked me how Charlie and I how we kept our marriage so strong when he was busy traveling. Our little secret, it was love notes. Every Saturday, Charlie wrote one for me, and he never missed a Saturday. And in every single one of them, he’d tell me what his highlight was for the week, how grateful he was for me and our babies, and always at the end, he would always end it with asking the most beautiful question. He’d always end it by asking, please, let me know how I can better serve you as a husband.
Charlie perfectly understood God’s role for a Christian husband, a man who leads so that they can serve you.”
Erika Kirk continued her address, saying:
“These past 10 days after Charlie’s assassination, we didn’t see violence. We didn’t see rioting. We didn’t see revolution. Instead, we saw what my husband always prayed he would see in this country, we saw revival. This past week, we saw people open a Bible for the first time in a decade. We saw people pray for the first time since they were children. We saw people go to a church service for the first time in their entire lives…
The seed has only just been planted. The enemy will tempt you the most in a time like this one. God will always be there for you, but you must choose to mark your soul again, again and again in the direction of Christ.
Pray again, read the Bible again, go to church next Sunday, and the Sunday after that and break free from the temptations and shackles of this world.”
Erika Kirk on seeing her husband at the hospital: 'I felt...a level of heartache that I didn't even know existed'
Speaking to the crowd, Erika Kirk said:
“11 days ago, God accepted that total surrender from my husband and then called him to his side…
God’s love was revealed to me on the very day my husband was murdered. On the afternoon of September 10, I arrived at a Utah hospital to do the unthinkable, to look directly at my husband’s murdered body.
I saw the wound that ended his life. I felt everything he would expect to feel. I felt shock. I felt horror, and a level of heartache that I didn’t even know existed. But there was something else too. Even in death, I could see the man that I love… I also saw on his lips the faintest smile…
Even the doctor told me there was something so instant that even if Charlie had been shot in the operating room itself, nothing could have been done. There was no pain, there was no fear, no agony. One moment Charlie was doing what he loved, arguing and debating on campus, fighting for the gospel and truth in front of a big crowd, then he blinked. He blinked and saw his savior in paradise.”
Erika Kirk takes the stage to pay tribute to her husband
Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, has just taken the stage.
Kirk was visibly moved as she looked out into the audience who cheered and applauded.
Approaching the podium, Kirk blinked back tears as the crowd rose to a standing ovation.
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In his concluding remarks, JD Vance said:
“For Charlie, we will speak the truth every single day. For Charlie, we will rebuild this United States of America to greatness. For Charlie, we will never shrink, we will never cower, and we will never falter, even when staring down the barrel of a gun. For Charlie, we will remember that it is better to stand on our feet, defending the United States of America and defending the truth than it is to die on our knees.”
He went on to say:
“My friends, for Charlie, we must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America, and he is a martyr for the Christian faith. May our heavenly father give us the courage to live as Charlie lived. That is what we must do. For Charlie, you ran a good race, my friend. I love you. We’ve got it from here. Thank you.”
JD Vance went on to add:
“He was taken from us by those who despise the virtues that actually made our civilization great to begin with, dialogue, truth-seeking, family and faith. In the wake of his death, we have seen some of the very worst parts of humanity. We have watched people slander him. We have watched people justify his murder and celebrate his death. I know that this makes you angry, just as it has made me angry, but it is easy in these moments to see only the worst of our fellow man.
I found myself wishing that I could pick up the phone and talk to my friend and ask him for his advice and his counsel, to ask him how to respond to such hate and the souls from which that hate springs…
I think he would encourage me to be honest, that evil still walks among us, not to ignore it for the sake of a fake kumbaya moment, but to address it head on and honestly as the sickness that it is.”
JD Vance says Charlie Kirk 'transformed face of conservatism'
Vice president JD Vance just took the stage, hailing Charlie Kirk as someone who “transformed the face of conservatism in our own time.”
Making multiple references to conservative talking points including anti-abortion sentiments and religiously-guided family values, Vance said:
“Charlie Kirk brought many truths in his life… He brought the truth that marriage and family were the highest callings, far more important than any job or educational credential. He brought the truth that our nation would fade unless it brought order to its neighborhoods and prosperity to its people. He brought the truth that life was precious and we must fight to protect it at all stages and at all times.”
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Donald Trump Jr tells crowd 'we don't silence' opponents as dozens penalized for Kirk comments
Donald Trump Jr just delivered an explicitly political tribute to Charlie Kirk, kicking off with an impersonation of his father before referencing Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton.
Trump Jr said:
“To say Charlie knew more about the Bible than me is an understatement, folks. It’s like saying Donald Trump knows more about being president than Hillary Clinton or Kamala Harris. No kidding…
Charlie embodied something at the very core of our movement. When people disagree with us, we don’t silence them, we don’t destroy them, and we certainly don’t sink to violence. We don’t burn down their businesses. We don’t scream at their children at Disneyland. No, we debate. We stand tall and we win with our ideas.”
Trump Jr’s comments come as dozens of workers across the country, ranging from journalists to popular late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel, have been penalized as employers and public officials crack down on remarks that they regard as “inappropriate” towards Kirk.
Earlier this week, US attorney general Pam Bondi faced backlash across the political spectrum, including from rightwing communities, after she vowed to target “hate speech” following Kirk’s killing.
Bondi later walked back on her remarks, saying: “My intention was to speak about threats of violence that individuals incite against others.”
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Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr just delivered a tribute to Charlie Kirk, saying:
“He understood democracy’s great advantage was that our policies were formed by ideas that triumphed in a marketplace of debate and conversation.
He thought that conversation was the only way to heal our country, and this was important, particularly important during a technological age when we are all hooked into social rhythms, social algorithms that are hacked into reptilian cords of our brain and amplify our impulses for tribalism and for division.”
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Defense secretary Pete Hegseth delivers religiously charged address, calling Kirk a 'warrior for Christ'
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth just addressed the crowd in a highly religiously charged address filled with references to war and religious crusade.
Hegseth called Charlie Kirk “a true believer for the cause of freedom, for the power of young people, belief in our republic and our founding principles in America first and make America great again.”
He also pointed to what Kirk saw as a “spiritual war,” saying:
“You see, we always did need less government. But what, Charlie understood and infused into his movement, is we also needed a lot more God… On this Sunday morning, I’d like to think we’re all in Charlie’s church.
He went on to add:
“Charlie waged war, not with a weapon, but with a tent, a microphone, his mind and the truth and the gates of hell could not prevail against him… Charlie Kirk was a citizen who had the biblical heart of a soldier of the faith, who put on every single day the full armor of God with a smile as the Scriptures tell all Christ followers to do. Charlie Kirk a warrior for country, a warrior for Christ. He ran the race. He finished the fight.”
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Secretary of state Marco Rubio addresses the crowd, compares Kirk to Jesus
Secretary of state Marco Rubio was the next speaker, following suit from previous speakers and comparing Charlie Kirk to historical figures including Jesus.
Addressing the crowd, Rubio said:
“Here was this voice that inspired a movement in which young Americans were told that is not true. The highest calling we are called to is to be in a successful marriage and to raise productive children. The…movement that taught them that ours was not a great country, but the greatest, most exceptional nation that has ever existed in the history of all of mankind, and that it’s worth fighting for…
God took on the form of a man and came down and lived among us, and he suffered like men, and he died like a man, but on the third day, he rose unlike any mortal man, and then, and to prove any doubters wrong, he ate with his disciples so they could see and they touched his wounds… And when he returns, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and we will all be together, and we are going to have a great reunion there again with Charlie and all the people we love.”
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Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, has just addressed the crowd in what was a markedly political speech.
Gabbard, who was an opponent of same-sex marriage at the start of her career, said:
“Charlie, he chose our schools as his arena because he knows that they are meant to teach, to train our young people to think critically, to debate ideas, to test their strength through a clash of reason. But too often, these schools silence debate, saying words are violence and dissenting voices are hush and those who speak of God, those who speak the truth, simple, objective truths like there are only two genders in these schools, they are told you have no voice.”
Gabbard, who spoke of schools but made no mention of the slew of mass school shootings that occur each year in the US, went on to add:
“History shows this dark pattern that when ideas cannot withstand scrutiny, whether it’s the ideology of so called religious fanatics or political fanatics, they’re …terrified that their weak ideas will be exposed for what they are… They kill and terrorize their opponents, hoping to silence them. But in this evil that we have experienced that Charlie face, their flawed ideology is exposed. Because by trying to silence Charlie, his voice is now louder than ever.”
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Tucker Carlson, political commentator and former Fox host, has just spoken at State Farm stadium.
In a religiously charged and charismatic speech, Carlson said:
“Charlie was a political person who was deeply interested in coalition-building and in getting the right people in office, because he knew that vast improvements are possible politically, but he also knew that politics is not the final answer. It can’t answer the deepest questions, actually, that the only real solution is Jesus.
Politics at its core is a process of critiquing other people and getting them to change. Christianity, the gospel message, the message of Jesus begins with repentance …
This gathering and God’s presence, God’s very obvious presence in this room, the presence of Jesus, is a reminder of what we’ve known for 2,000 years, which is any attempt to extinguish the light causes it to burn brighter.”
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White House deputy chief of staff makes incendiary speech: 'You are nothing. You are wickedness'
Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies, just addressed the crowd.
In an incendiary speech, Miller said:
“You thought you could kill Charlie Kirk. You have made him immortal. You have immortalized Charlie Kirk, and now millions will carry on his legacy.”
Miller, speaking as if Kirk’s killing had been incited by “our enemies”, went on to add:
“We will prevail over the forces of wickedness and evil. They cannot imagine what they have awakened … We we stand for what is good, what is virtuous, what is noble.
And to those trying to incite violence against us, those trying to foment hatred against us, what do you have? You have nothing. You are nothing. You are wickedness. You are jealousy, you are envy, you are hatred. You are nothing. You can build nothing. You can produce nothing. You can create nothing. We are the ones who build.”
Prosecutors have said that they suspect 22-year old Tyler Robinson killed Kirk because he personally had become sick of what he perceived to be Kirk’s “hatred”.
But, citing three sources familiar with the investigation into Kirk’s killing, NBC reported on Saturday that federal authorities have not found any link between Robinson and leftwing groups, on which the Trump administration has threatened to crack down after the deadly shooting.
Millers comments came days after he threatened a crackdown on what he called a “vast domestic terror movement” without providing evidence. Miller said the administration would use the federal government to achieve this goal.
“With God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have at the Department of Justice, [Department of] Homeland Security and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks,” Miller said, adding that they would do this “in Charlie’s name”.
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Trump arrives amid ear-splitting roar from crowd inside stadium
at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
An ear-splitting roar just broke out as the camera showed Donald Trump for the first time. The president flew from the White House to Glendale on Sunday morning for the service.
From a box on an upper level of the arena, Trump, wearing a red tie, pumped his fist.
“We’re going to celebrate the life of a great man today,” Trump told reporters before departing Washington earlier today. He said he was braced for a “tough day.”
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Charlie Kirk’s memorial service kicked off with religious tributes made by his colleagues and friends who recounted their memories of the slain 31-year old who founded the conservative advocacy organization Turning Point USA.
The tributes then slowly made way for more political messaging with very few calls of unity.
Addressing the crowd was Ben Carson, a former Republican presidential candidate and Trump’s transporation secretary during his first term.
In a politically charged address, Carson made references to 1950s communism and alleged progressive attempts to gain control of media outlets and Hollywood.
Meanwhile, Florida’s Republican representative Anna Paulina Luna, compared Kirk to Martin Luther King Jr, the civil rights icon who Kirk once called “awful” and Kirk claimed “said one good thing he actually didn’t believe”.
Addressing the crowd, Luna said that Kirk “altered the trajectory of our modern fight against cultural decay and ideological tyranny”.
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Republican lawmakers in Oklahoma introduced legislation this week that would require every public university in the state to construct “a Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza”, with a statue of the assassinated Republican activist and a sign calling him a “modern civil rights leader”, or pay monthly fines.
Each plaza must also include “permanent signage commemorating Charlie Kirk’s courage and faith and explaining the significance of Charlie Kirk as a voice of a generation, modern civil rights leader, vocal Christian, martyr for truth and faith, and free speech advocate”.
The state-dictated reference to Kirk as a civil rights leader echoes the widespread effort on the right to cast the founder of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA as a figure equivalent to Martin Luther King Jr, a man Kirk once called “awful”.
After everyone from a Georgia representative to a deputy chief of the New York police department made the comparison with MLK, the slain civil rights leader’s son, Martin Luther King III, took time this week to reject it, noting that Kirk had accused prominent Black women of lacking “the brain processing power to be taken seriously”, while his father “was about bringing people together”.
“When you’re doing that, it’s a disservice to unification,” King told a reporter in Virginia. Kirk, he said, “certainly was a force in this society and a significant force, but I just disagree with the position that his force was about inclusiveness. When you denigrate Black women and say that somebody is in a position just because of the color of their skin, that’s gravely false.”
Donald Trump’s motorcade has arrived at State Farm stadium a few minutes ago, according to multiple reports.
Trump is expected to be the last speaker at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.
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In the days after his killing, Charlie Kirk was remembered by his allies as a great debater. A quote taken from a widely shared video of Kirk discussing his life’s work – “when people stop talking, that’s when violence happens” – emblematized such eulogies.
Kirk toured American college campuses with his rightwing non-profit Turning Point USA, where he would set up a tent, table and microphone, and debate with undergrads. The goal, he said, was to “save western civilization”, and remembrances after his death positioned him as a budding statesman – a conservative hero who strode across the political divide for the sake of open dialogue.
Kirk applied basic rules of civility to his debate style, asking opponents their name and saying it was nice to meet them. He engaged young people in political discourse at a time when society has been split into bitterly antagonistic camps. But his critics are taking issue with any version of his legacy that does not account for the bigoted nature of his arguments. They are also closely examining his very style of debate.
“I don’t think Charlie entered debates to come to a common consensus or to discover the truth,” said Mason, a 26-year-old graduate student who debated with Kirk on the YouTube show Surrounded last fall. “I think Charlie came to debates to verbally beat his opponents.”
Trump arrives in Arizona for Charlie Kirk's memorial service
Donald Trump has arrived on Air Force One in Arizona for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.
Trump, alongside other high-profile cabinet members including JD Vance and defense secretary Pete Hegseth, are set to deliver remarks on Kirk.
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Here are some images coming through the newswires from State Farm stadium as Charlie Kirk’s memorial service goes under way:
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at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Many people traveled far and wide to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk in Glendale on Sunday. Among them was Eddie Wallin, a 30-year-old from Sweden who crossed the Atlantic to honor the slain organizer.
His journey took him from Sweden to Texas, where he rented a car and said he drove 17 hours straight to make it to Glendale in time for the memorial. He subsisted on bananas and other sugary provisions to keep him alert.
Wallin, wearing a white shirt emblazoned with “Freedom,” said he had first met Kirk in 2019, during a trip to Texas. He recalled that Kirk, smiling, told him he’d never thought he’d meet a Swedish conservative. Six years later, Wallin said he encountered Kirk again during the 2024 presidential election and was surprised when the organizer, by then a hugely prominent figure in Maga politics, remembered him.
“After so many years he remembered me,” Wallin said. “I will remember him for my whole life.”
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at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
For much of the morning, attendees in the packed stadium have been listening to Christian worship music.
Many sang along with the lyrics, while some raised their hands and swayed. It’s a striking contrast from a Trump rally where the play list often features Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA, the Village People’s YMCA and Luciano Pavarotti’s“Ave Maria”.
The event, like Turning Points itself, has blended faith and politics for a new generation of conservatives.
Chris Tomlin, a Christian music singer, is singing now along with the audience, which joins him for the refrain: “You will always be holy / holy forever.”
As he left the White House for Phoenix this morning, Donald Trump praised Charlie Kirk’s mobilization of college students through Turning Point USA, the organization that he founded instead of going to college himself.
“For a young man, he did a great job, a tremendous job,” Trump said. “He had a hold on youth because they loved him. They respected him. And if you go back 10 years, those colleges were dangerous places for conservatives. And now they’re hot. They’re very hot. Just like this country is hot.”
As our colleague Alice Speri reported, TPUSA has over 900 chapters on college campuses and claims to have “incubated” more than 350 rightwing influencers over the years.
Kirk himself, however, was broadly unpopular among college students, according to polling after his death. Research done for Puck last week revealed that 70% of students surveyed, at community colleges, technical colleges, trade schools, and public and private four-year institutions, said that they disagreed with Kirk’s views. Just 30% said they agreed with what he had to say.
at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
All around the arena are black and white photos of Charlie Kirk, with his wife, Erika, and their children. One shows him tossing a Maga hat into the crowd and several of him speaking.
Emotions were raw in the stadium, as the band played a lengthy instrumental interlude and the camera panned the crowd, which rose to its feet, holding red, black and white signs that said “Turning Points.” One group held a poster with a sketch of Kirk and the biblical verse, “Here I am Lord. Send me.”
Loud applause rang out when the monitor showed an image of Kirk. An announcer called Kirk a “our friend and hero”.
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Charlie Kirk’s memorial service is set to begin shortly.
Among the notable speakers include Donald Trump, JD Vance, defense secretary Pete Hegseth and secretary of state Marco Rubio.
Kirk’s wife, Erika, is also due to deliver remarks.
at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Officials and prominent Maga world influencers are filling the arena.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert was among those who have arrived. Conservative activist Scott Presler posed for photos and Steve Bannon was spotted being escorted around into the venue. Elon Musk said on X he was in attendance.
Credentialed alongside the traditional press corps are several new media podcast hosts, YouTubers and young influencers, including some children – a testament to his vast influence on young conservatives.
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In the days leading up to today’s memorial service, AI-generated tributes to Charlie Kirk, which appeared to present his own commentary from beyond the grave, filled the internet and were even played during services at megachurches.
One of the first to appear was a reassuring message in an AI clone of Kirk’s voice that was created within hours of Kirk’s death and then played last Sunday at Dream City church, the Phoenix megachurch where Kirk worshipped, and held political events, including a Trump rally in 2020.
Dream City Church in Arizona played the AI of Charlie Kirk on a Sunday as if he was speaking to them at their church service from beyond the grave. This is evil people. It is necromancy. pic.twitter.com/QIEhJa8bXE
— Terri Green (@TerriGreenUSA) September 20, 2025
One of the many AI-generated messages created immediately after Kirk’s death was a video shared by a far-right English nationalist that pictured him with an angel’s wings, urging his supporters to double down on support for Israel, and vilifying supporters of Palestine, including an AI-generated image of a scowling Greta Thunberg.
🙏🏼This tribute to Charlie Kirk was forwarded to me by a follower. He’s definitely looking down on us all🕊️❤️So keep up the fight, stand up, speak out peacefully and let’s Unite The Kingdom tomorrow 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇮🇱 @TRobinsonNewEra pic.twitter.com/y2tcXOJMQm
— Martin Gauci (@MartinGauci) September 12, 2025
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In the emotionally and politically charged days since the killing of Charlie Kirk, the rightwing youth activist who was a close ally of Donald Trump, one statement has loomed large. On Monday, the US attorney general – the official in charge of the rule of law in America – said that the Trump administration would “absolutely target” those who espouse “hate speech” about Kirk.
Unlike in many other countries, hate speech is protected by US law unless it incites imminent violence or constitutes a true threat. But that did not deter the nation’s top law enforcement officer, who also suggested that – for example – a print shop employee who refused to print flyers memorializing Kirk could be “prosecuted”.
Since Kirk was shot to death while speaking to college students in Utah earlier this month, the US has been gripped by a bitter debate about the relation between political speech and violence. Bondi later walked back some of her remarks, in part because of criticism from other conservatives worried about the reframing of “free speech” as “hate speech”. But Trump, JD Vance, White House adviser Stephen Miller and other top Republicans have framed Kirk’s death as the consequence of what they claim is unchecked and violent rhetoric, which they blame on the left wing alone.
It is a remarkable turn from prominent American conservatives, who until Trump’s return to power in January had long complained of a censorious leftwing “cancel culture” but now seem happy to reframe that, too, as “consequence culture”.
at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Christina Sawick, wearing a “Trump was right about everything” hat, said she has been watching and listening to Kirk since 2016. This morning, she left her home in Mesa at 3am to attend his memorial service.
She said she appreciated Kirk’s willingness to debate anyone regardless of their politics or background. “He didn’t sugarcoat anything,” she said. “He just wanted to be heard and he wanted everybody to be heard.”
Sawick said going forward she hoped more Americans would accept – even if they don’t support – the president and his message. “I want people to get behind our president,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with making America great again.”
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FBI restricts airspace surrounding State Farm stadium
The FBI has restricted the airspace surrounding State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona, ahead of Charlie Kirk’s funeral service.
In a post on X, the FBI said:
“All aircraft operators are reminded to check and verify FAA Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) before every flight. Drone operators who enter the restricted areas without permission could face drone confiscation, fines and potential criminal prosecution.
Pursuant to federal law, the FBI and/or other federal partners may take security action that results in the interference, disruption, seizure, damage to or destruction of any drone deemed to pose a credible safety or security threat.”
at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Jeffrey Barke, a physician with a large online following, came with a group of friends from Orange county on what he called a “pilgrimage of sorts” to honor Charlie Kirk’s life and legacy.
“What you’re seeing here is not just a tribute to his movement, you’re seeing a revival of his message: faith, family, freedom,” Barke said, gesturing to the swelling crowd of supporters. Though only 31, Kirk left a lasting spiritual and political legacy, Barke said.
“I think every one of us needs to be a bit more uncomfortable than we’re used to in spreading Charlie’s message,” he said, pledging to use his own platform and social media presence to do so.
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Thousands of people lined up early to fill a football stadium in Arizona for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, where the US president, Donald Trump, the vice-president, JD Vance, and other prominent Maga allies will pay tribute to the slain conservative activist.
Here are more pictures from the newswires of people arriving inside the venue and a first look at the stage setup:
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Marjorie Taylor Greene has also issued a tribute to Charlie Kirk ahead of his memorial service.
Writing on X, the Georgia representative said:
“Today hundreds of thousands of people are gathering at State Farm Stadium in Arizona to remember and honor the life of Charlie Kirk. Simultaneously what is really happening is a revival. Through Charlie, people are meeting Jesus. Welcome to church!”
Charlie Kirk was shot while speaking at the campus of Utah Valley University, near Salt Lake City, as part of the American Comeback tour, which is hosted by the university’s Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter and was attended by as many as 3,000 people, according to Jeffrey Long, the police chief at the university.
Kirk had pioneered a style of ideological warfare against what he viewed as bastions of leftism, helping turn campuses into cultural battlefields and paving the way for Donald Trump’s unprecedented campaign to weaken American universities and subject them to his movement’s ideological agenda.
“Charlie Kirk will be remembered as one of the foremost architects of the political strategy of treating faculty and students with whom he disagrees as enemies to be defeated,” said Isaac Kamola, a political science professor at Trinity College whose research focuses on conservative efforts to undermine higher education.
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at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Thousands of people wearing red, white and blue are pouring into State Farm Stadium in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix. Lines snaked several blocks earlier this morning before sunrise in the desert, where temperatures were expected to near 100 this afternoon.
Inside, many followers of Kirk, the vast stadium was dotted with red MAGA hats and American flags. Seats began to fill hours before the official program was due to begin. Some supporters were already in tears as they listened to a Christian rock group that was performing on stage.
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Christian nationalists in the US are positioning Charlie Kirk as a martyr for their movement, one that has grown in popularity and whose rise was intertwined with Kirk’s own political ascent.
After Kirk’s killing, his widow, Erika Kirk, wrote on social media that the “world is evil”, but God “so good”. The “sound of this widow weeping [echoes] throughout this world like a battle cry,” she said. “They have no idea what they just ignited within this wife.”
While Erika Kirk’s private sorrow is no doubt very real, her public remarks are telling, said Jeff Sharlet, the author of several books on Christian nationalism and the far right. “That’s holy war, that’s accelerationism, and it’s incredibly powerful,” he said, particularly in the emotional context of a grieving widow.
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Ahead of Charlie Kirk’s memorial service today, JD Vance, who is expected to deliver an address, wrote on X:
“Last week, we brought my dear friend Charlie Kirk home one last time. Today, we return to Arizona to remember Charlie and honor his sacrifice. May he eternally rest in peace, and may God watch over Erika and their beautiful children.”
The killing of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week has triggered a wave of political disquiet in Washington, with some House Democrats fearing a messaging trap over a Republican resolution to honor him while other lawmakers worry about the broader political temperature following government pressure on broadcasters.
Democrats ultimately decided to side with the Republicans to pass the resolution, with 95 Democrats in support. Fifty-eight Democrats opposed it, 38 voted present and 22 did not vote.
The five-page resolution, introduced by the House speaker, Mike Johnson, and co-sponsored by 165 House Republicans but no Democrats, praises Kirk as a “courageous American patriot” who sought to “elevate truth, foster understanding, and strengthen the Republic”.
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Americans are grappling with the brutal killing and complicated legacy of the 31-year-old far-right “youth whisperer”, Trump ally and podcasting provocateur, who was gunned down on 10 September in a brazen act of what prosecutors have labeled political violence – and which has deepened fears about the trajectory of a profoundly divided nation.
Kirk was struck by a single bullet in broad daylight as he spoke before a crowd of 3,000 mostly college students at Utah Valley University, the first stop on his national “American Comeback” campus tour. Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson, 22, with capital murder in Kirk’s killing and said they will seek the death penalty.
In the wake of Kirk’s death, Trump and his advisers have sought to cast blame on Democrats, even though elected leaders and party officials have uniformly condemned the killing. Officials have said they believe the suspect acted alone.
Prosecutors have said that they suspect Robinson killed Kirk because he personally had become sick of what he perceived to be Kirk’s “hatred”. But, citing three sources familiar with the investigation into Kirk’s killing, NBC reported Saturday that federal authorities have not found any link between Robinson and leftwing groups, on which the Trump administration has threatened to crack down after the deadly shooting.
Fueled by an outpouring of grief and rage on the right, conservatives are demanding punishment for those who mocked or disparaged Kirk – a campaign of retribution critics say mirrors the very cancel culture he railed against. Since his death, teachers, students, journalists and late-night show host Jimmy Kimmel have been fired, suspended or disciplined over comments related to Kirk or his death, in a clampdown that free speech advocates, democracy scholars and other comedians say amounts to government censorship.
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It is unclear exactly what time Donald Trump is expected to speak at the memorial but reporters were told he is thought to be the last speaker.
He is set to arrive at the event sometime between 12pm and 3pm local time (3pm-6pm ET).
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The Guardian’s David Smith wrote this profile of Charlie Kirk:
Anyone who wants to understand the rise of Donald Trump among young voters has to understand Charlie Kirk, dubbed a “youth whisperer” of the right, who was shot on Wednesday at an event at Utah Valley University and died afterwards.
Kirk was only 31 and had never held elected office but, as a natural showman with a flair for patriotism, populism and Christian nationalism, was rich in the political currency of the era.
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Officials expect more than 100,000 people to turn up for the memorial service in Glendale, Arizona. The State Farm stadium, home of the NFL team Arizona Cardinals, can seat up to 63,400 people and expand to hold another 10,000. There is additional seating of around 19,000 at the nearby Desert Diamond Arena.
People started to arrive before dawn to secure a place. Steve Bannon was photographed among those arriving early. Photos coming to us over the news wires show crowds making their way towards the site hours before the service is due to start:
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Trump boards Air Force One to head to Arizona
Donald Trump has boarded Air Force One to fly to Arizona for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service. The US president is expected to address the crowd later today.
Before leaving the White House, Trump told reporters:
“We’re here to celebrate the life of a great man. Really a great man. A young man. We look forward to it. That something like this could’ve happened is not even believable. Will be a very interesting day. A very tough day.”
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The Charlie Kirk memorial is expected to start at 11am local time (2pm ET) and Donald Trump is expected to be one of the speakers.
Other speakers include:
Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff;
Marco Rubio, the secretary of state;
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the health secretary;
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence;
Tucker Carlson, rightwing commentator and former Fox host;
Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff;
Sergio Gor, US special envoy for south and central Asian affairs;
and Erika Kirk, Kirk’s widow and new head of Turning Point USA – the youth organisation her husband founded.
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Donald Trump and JD Vance to be among tens of thousands at Charlie Kirk memorial
Donald Trump, JD Vance and other senior US administration officials will attend a memorial service for murdered rightwing activist Charlie Kirk today as more than 100,000 people are expected to turn up.
Doors for the service being held at the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona open at 8am local time (11am ET). But crowds already swelled hours earlier to secure a spot in the stadium, which can hold 63,400 people. Admission is on a first come, first served basis, organisers said.
Kirk, a close ally of the US president, was shot dead at a university campus event on 10 September. His death in Orem, Utah, shocked the nation and sparked condemnation from Republicans and Democrats. Utah resident Tyler Robsinson, 22, has been charged with several counts including aggravated murder following the 31-year-old’s killing.
Since the killing, top Trump officials have been threatening vengeance against anyone deemed not to have sufficiently mourned Kirk’s death. Vance endorsed a mass “doxing” effort to track down and intimidate people and vowed to crack down on groups who celebrate Kirk’s death and political violence against their opponents. Dozens of people have lost their jobs in the aftermath of the killing or been penalised, including late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel, whose show was yanked off air over Kirk-related comments.
Federal law enforcement is treating the event with the same security arrangements as the Super Bowl, according to Fox News. The Department for Homeland Security is assigning the memorial Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1, one of the highest possible levels after a presidential inauguration or the Olympics.
We will bring you the latest political news and reaction from the memorial.
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