Trump Charlie Kirk memorial
A large screen displays a message in memory of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, as people gather to attend a memorial service, at State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 21, 2025.
Daniel Cole | Reuters
President Donald Trump and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” movement were paying tribute Sunday to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose slaying has marked a signal moment in America’s fraught political atmosphere.
The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, senior White House officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.
“We’re going to celebrate the life of a great man today,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Sunday morning to make his way to Arizona for the service. “It will be a tough day.”
Kirk’s assassination at a Sept. 10 appearance on a Utah college campus has set off a fierce debate about violence, decency and free speech in an era of deep political division. The shooting also has stirred fear among some Americans that Trump is trying to harness outrage over the killing as justification to suppress the voices of his critics and political opponents.
The service will take place at State Farm Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals west of Phoenix, where Kirk’s Turning Point organization is based. Security is expected to be tight, with a similar level of federal law enforcement presence as for the Super Bowl or other high-profile event.
Members of the public began lining up outside the stadium before dawn to secure a spot, several hours before the start of the service. The lower bowl of the stadium quickly filled with mourners dressed in red, white a blue, as organizers suggested.
The stadium had the feel of a megachurch service. Floors shook from the bass of Christian rock bands playing on stage as the crowds filed in. Many stood and sang along.
People queue outside to attend a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 21, 2025.
Cheney Orr | Reuters
“I think that this is going to change things, and I think he made such a difference,” said Crystal Herman, who traveled from Branson, Missouri. “He deserves us to be here.”
Comments about Kirk have become a Trump target
Trump has blamed the “radical left” for Kirk’s death and threatened to go after liberal organizations and donors or others whom he feels are maligning or celebrating Kirk’s death.
He criticized House Democrats who voted against a resolution that praised “the life and legacy” of Kirk, which passed the Republican-controlled chamber Friday.
“Who could vote against that? All (Republicans) were saying was ‘Please condemn the assassination of a human being,'” Trump told reporters. “And (Democrats) said, ‘No, no, we’re not going to do that.'”
Dozens of people, from journalists to teachers, already have lost their jobs as prominent conservative activists and administration officials target comments about Kirk that they deem offensive or celebratory. The retaliation has in turn ignited a debate over the First Amendment as the Republican administration promises retribution against those who air what are seen as disparaging remarks in the wake of Kirk’s death.
ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off the air indefinitely following backlash from affiliated broadcasters and the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission over the comedian’s remarks about Kirk.
The State Department has warned it would revoke the visas of any foreigners who celebrated Kirk’s assassination.
A 22-year-old Utah man, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with killing Kirk and faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charges. Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a text to his partner following the shooting that he “had enough” of Kirk’s hatred.
Kirk’s legacy of conservative political influence
Turning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilize young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach.
The crowd expected to fill the stadium in Glendale for Kirk’s memorial is a testament to the massive influence he accumulated in conservative America with his ability to mobilize young people.
“I think he spoke on more than just politics,” said Michael Link, 29, who stopped outside the stadium to take in the scene. “Now that he’s gone, it’s like who’s gonna speak for us now?”
His impact on modern-day conservatism went beyond U.S. shores.
Kirk “was very effective because he was convinced of his views and knew how to argue them,” Italian…
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