A mother says her son, who supported President Donald Trump for years, has turned against him after watching Trump’s speech at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service. Paula, who goes by the username @genxpaula58v2 on TikTok, shared on October 1, 2025, that her son’s breaking point came during the event held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025.
Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University. His memorial service drew around 95,000 people, including Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several Cabinet members. The event mixed religious tributes with political speeches, and it was Trump’s remarks that stood out the most.
Paula called it her son’s “come-to-Jesus moment” and said he “finally” realized Trump was not the leader he thought he was. According to her TikTok video, her son told her that Trump said he “hated his enemies” and “could not forgive any of his enemies” during the memorial. Paula recalled her son telling her, “That was my son’s moment that he realized that this man is very selfish.”
What Trump actually said at the memorial
During his speech, Trump talked about Kirk’s approach to his opponents. He said Kirk “did not hate his opponents” and “wanted the best for them.” But then Trump shared his own view. “That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry,” Trump said, while looking at Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who was on stage.
This came right after Erika Kirk had given an emotional speech where she said she forgave the man accused of killing her husband. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do,” she told the crowd. “The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love.”
The difference between the two messages was clear. While Kirk’s widow talked about forgiveness and love, Trump talked about hating his political opponents. He also said his Justice Department was looking into “networks of radical left maniacs” and made other political statements during what many people expected to be a somber memorial.
Paula’s son has been raising a child with autism, which she said made him think more carefully about who Trump’s leadership actually helps. She said it took 10 years for her son to see things differently, and now she feels she “finally” has her son back. Her video has been viewed over 191,000 times and received more than 30,000 likes, with many commenters sharing similar stories about family members leaving the MAGA movement.
