President Donald Trump delivered a soaring tribute at the memorial for Charlie Kirk, calling him a “martyr for America’s freedom” and warning that radical left-wing ideology threatens the nation’s foundations. Over 70,000 supporters gathered Sunday at State Farm Stadium for the event.
Trump condemned what he called “an assault on our most sacred God-given liberties,” accusing political opponents of emboldening violence against conservative figures. He pledged swift action by the Justice Department against those he deems responsible for creating a climate of incitement.
“No side in American politics has a monopoly on disturbed or misguided people, but there’s one part of our political community which believes they have a monopoly on truth, goodness and virtue, and concludes they have also a monopoly on power, thought and speech. Well, that’s not happening anymore,” Trump said. “If speech is violence, then some are bound to conclude that violence is justified to stop speech. And we’re not going to let that be justified.”
Kirk’s wife, Erika, spoke before the president, saying a silent prayer before she approached the podium. She was emotional, recounting the day her husband died and what she’s seen in the days since — using much of her speech to talk about Kirk’s work to “revive the American family,” and his focus on “lost” young men.
“My husband Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” Erika Kirk said, breaking down as she said “I forgive him.”
“The answer to hate is not hate,” she continued. “The answer we know from the Gospel is love, and always love. Love for our enemies, and love for those who persecute us.”
She vowed to carry forward Kirk’s work at Turning Point USA as the organization’s new CEO, which will include continued debate on college campuses. She said “when you stop the conversation, when you stop the dialogue, this is what happens.”
Kirk asked those in attendance to love their enemies as her husband did. Speaking after her, Trump said:. “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them,” then added: “Sorry Erika.”
It was a gathering that also appeared to presage the Republican Party’s future. Vice President JD Vance, a close friend of Kirk’s, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, likely contenders for the 2028 presidential nomination, took to the stage to memorialize Kirk.
“They tried to silence our friend Charlie Kirk, and tonight, we speak with Charlie and for Charlie louder than ever,” Vance said during his remarks. “The evil murderer who took Charlie from us expected us to have a funeral today, and instead, my friends, we have had a revival in celebration of Charlie Kirk and of his lord Jesus Christ.”
So many high-profile members of the Trump administration attended the event that the White House flew two planes to Arizona on Sunday morning, with a speaker line-up on par with a state funeral. In addition to Vance and Rubio, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, top Trump aides Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor also spoke at the event. Elon Musk, who did not speak, was seen sitting beside the president at one point during the memorial.
(ANN via POLITICO)
