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Tuesday 23 Sep 2025
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US President Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk's wife, Erika Kirk: Trump has called right-wing activist Kirk "a giant of his generation" at a massive memorial event in Arizona. (Photo/AP)
US President Donald Trump has called right-wing activist Charlie Kirk "a giant of his generation" at a massive memorial event marked by strong Christian rhetoric and praise for the man many speakers referred to as a "martyr."
The 79-year-old Republican said on Sunday that Kirk was "above all a devoted husband, father, son, Christian and patriot," adding that he "was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice. For God and country. For reason and for common sense."
The service drew an extraordinary level of attention and security, with the top brass of Trump's administration joining tens of thousands in attendance, and some US media likening it to a state funeral.
Ahead of Trump's address, the crowd heard speeches from prominent cabinet members, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth.
"You thought you could kill Charlie Kirk? You have made him immortal," top Trump advisor Stephen Miller said, vowing "to save this civilisation, to save the West."
Among other speakers were Tucker Carlson, Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
The event was being hosted by Turning Point USA, the hugely influential youth political campaign group founded by Kirk that is now run by his widow, Erika Kirk, who also spoke at the memorial.
"That young man, I forgive him," Kirk said of her husband's alleged murderer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a gesture that drew uproarious applause from the crowd.
State authorities have charged Robinson with murder and are pursuing the death penalty in the case against him.
'Hatred'
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck on September 10 while speaking at a Utah university as part of his popular public debate series. Authorities arrested a suspect after a 33-hour manhunt.
The killing has inflamed often acrimonious and sometimes violent political divisions in the United States.
Kirk used his millions of social media followers, the massive audience of his podcast and appearances at universities to bolster Trump with young voters and fight for a nationalist, Christian-centric political ideology.
Even before the alleged killer was identified or arrested, Trump called Kirk "a martyr for truth and freedom" and blamed the rhetoric of the "radical left."
In the corridors of the stadium, framed pictures of Kirk and his widow sat on pedestals. Kirk merchandise was for sale, including red baseball caps - an homage to Trump's signature MAGA headgear - with simply KIRK emblazoned on them.
Crackdown on liberal 'terrorism'
In response to the killing, the White House last week declared it would crack down on what it terms "domestic terrorism" by the political left.
Trump said he would designate "Antifa" — a shorthand term for "anti-fascist" used to describe diffuse far-left groups — as "a major terrorist organisation," a move he threatened in his first term.
On Sunday, Trump said his government would go after alleged "networks" responsible for left-wing violence.
Prominent late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was yanked off the air on Wednesday, hours after the government threatened to cancel broadcasting licenses because of comments he made about Kirk's killing, alleging the killer was MAGA.
The moves have sparked alarm among Trump's critics who warn of possible steps to silence dissent of his divisive right-wing White House tenure, marked by a rolling back of social justice policies and an immigration crackdown that has seen widespread complaints of rights abuses.
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Source:TRT
