On Sunday (September 21), President Trump attended a memorial service for the renowned conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona. Trump emphasized Kirk’s life and the spiritual legacy he left behind.
Trump said that America is mourning today. Charlie was a giant of his generation, a loyal husband, and a patriot.
“He did the right thing for our country. He is the epitome of American freedom. None of us will forget Charlie Kirk, and history will not forget him,” the President said. “Charlie Kirk used everything he had to love America, and as we see today, America also loves Charlie Kirk.”
“He said that the most important choice he made in fifth grade was to become a follower of Jesus Christ,” Trump said. “It is painful to bid farewell to a patriot.”
“He wasn’t in it for the money. He was on a mission. He did it because he firmly believed that our country needed saving,” the President said. “He always called me saying, ‘Sir, we have a country to save.'”
“The media tried to keep him quiet because he was winning. He was taking over universities. They tried to smear him because they didn’t want you to hear him speak or learn from him. He also helped us in the elections. He was one of the most influential figures in our country,” he said.
Trump said that many people always ask him to do many things, but Charlie was one of the few who always gave more than he asked for. Charlie gave over 200 speeches a year. At that time, giving speeches at universities was not easy. And Charlie was very brave.
The memorial service was held at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, under the theme “Legacy: In memory of Charlie Kirk.” To enhance security, bulletproof glass was installed around the stage at the stadium. The bulletproof glass around the podium reflects the standard security measures for large events attended by the President today, especially after the assassination attempt against Trump in Pennsylvania last year.
Kirk was shot and killed on September 10 at a campus event at Utah Valley University, at the age of 31, marking the end of his legendary life. After the incident, Trump closely monitored the situation and was the first to inform the nation of Kirk’s death. He said, “The great, legendary Charlie Kirk has passed away. No one knew the hearts of the American youth better than Charlie.”
The President subsequently announced the lowering of flags nationwide to half-mast, as a sign of mourning for Kirk. Following Kirk’s assassination, numerous mourning activities were held across the United States, including inside the U.S. Capitol. The most anticipated event was the memorial service this Sunday. It was also a gathering of senior American officials, including the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of War, and White House officials.
Kirk was a trusted advisor to Trump, and his organization, Turning Point USA, played a key role in mobilizing and inspiring young people to vote during the 2024 U.S. election, helping Trump return to the White House.
Kirk had a close relationship with the First Family, Trump’s staff, and cabinet members, and many government officials mourned the loss of a dear friend.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, in an interview with Fox News on Saturday, said, “We will actually send two planes full of White House staff to the memorial service. This just shows how much Kirk influenced the top echelons of the U.S. government. He will surely be mourned and honored tomorrow.”
The speakers at the event demonstrated Kirk’s influence as a leading figure of the largest conservative youth organization in America. Besides Trump, Vice President Pence, and Secretary of State Rubio will also deliver speeches.
“You can’t replace Charlie Kirk. He was unique, and you and I both know that. He was a unique person,” President Trump told reporters after Kirk’s shooting.
During his official visit to the UK on September 18, Trump also mentioned Kirk at a press conference. He called Charlie a “great American.”
“Some say he might become president in the future. I told him, ‘Charlie, I think you have a good chance of becoming president.’ I have never seen anyone resonate with young people like Charlie does, and young people resonate with him. They are very saddened now,” Trump said.
When Kirk was 18, he co-founded Turning Point USA with others. Over the past decade, this non-profit organization has gradually become a significant conservative force in America. It is dedicated to promoting conservative ideals on American campuses. In addition to establishing chapters at hundreds of campuses nationwide, the organization holds large conferences, advocates for conservative issues among youth, and produces media content. Turning Point USA has long been closely linked to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement and is seen as a significant force that helped Trump win the 2024 presidential election.
He advocated for a return to tradition and the restoration of faith. He consistently set up “battlefields” at American campuses, which were his most popular activities, attracting thousands of attendees each time. He invited students to voice different opinions and debate with him on various issues, including transgenderism, immigration, cultural values, and ideologies in education. By confronting questions and challenges, he inspired young people to reflect, promote understanding and inclusivity, earning support from many young people. However, not everyone agreed with Kirk. Although he received thousands of threatening letters, he remained active on the “battlefield” until he was shot.
Over the past decade, Kirk has become an extremely influential figure. In addition to holding events on campus, he also reached out and affected young people through other means. He has millions of followers on Instagram, with each post receiving millions of likes and hundreds of thousands of comments; over four million people subscribe to his channel on YouTube. His show, The Charlie Kirk Show, is loved by many.