President Donald Trump paid tribute to Charlie Kirk at the late conservative activist’s memorial service at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
In a politically-charged speech, Trump announced he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Erika Kirk, his widow, who has taken on leadership of Turning Point USA, took the stage just before the president, and told the huge crowd she forgives her husband’s killer.
Other speakers included Vice President JD Vance; Marco Rubio, Secretary of State; Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense; Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence; Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff; and Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff.
Vance said Kirk changed the course of American history with the movement he created. Miller warned the left that the “dragon” is awakened and in death, Kirk is immortalized.
More than 200,000 are believed to have turned up, but the stadium, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, has a maximum capacity of 73,000 for large events, plus 19,000 in a nearby overflow arena.
Security for Sunday’s service in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix, was raised to the level typically reserved for Super Bowls, and speakers stood behind bulletproof glass.
Split emerges among GOP senators on Trump’s targeting of media
Republicans on Capitol Hill are not entirely comfortable with Donald Trump’s efforts to suppress dissenting views on the mainstream broadcast and cable channels, and a divide is emerging in the party over the efforts by the administration to pressure ABC into suspending Jimmy Kimmel indefinitely last week.
On Sunday, two recurring critics of the president within his own party were on the Sunday talk circuit reacting to Kimmel’s suspension. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host was pulled from the airwaves last week after making comments about the shooting death of Charlie Kirk on his show and accusing Republicans of exploiting the moment for recriminations against the left.
John Bowden reports from Washington, D.C.
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 04:00
Trump orders attorney general to prosecute his political enemies straight away
Ahead of his speech at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, in which he said, unlike the late conservative activist, that he hates his opponents, President Donald Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute his political enemies straight away.
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 03:30
Watch: Erika Kirk reveal supportive words from Usha Vance
Erika Kirk reveals Usha Vance’s kind words to her hours after husband Charlie’s death
Erika Kirk revealed the supportive words JD Vance’s wife Usha said to her hours after husband Charlie Kirk’s death. Paying tribute to the 31-year-old at his memorial service held on Sunday (21 September), Mrs Kirk thanked Mrs Vance for her kind words of advice she gave to her as they prepared to fly his body home. Mrs Kirk said: “I held her hand and said ‘I don’t know how I am going to get though this’. “She told me that it was like the last 15 minutes of a flight with kids and you think ‘I cannot wait for this flight to land’, and it’s still 15 minutes. You will get through these 15 minutes and then the next 15 minutes. “Those words were exactly what I needed to hear.”
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 03:00
Report: Feds have found no links between Kirk assassination suspect and left-wing groups
Federal investigators have found no evidence linking Tyler Robinson , who is accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, to left-wing groups, despite claims from former President Donald Trump and his administration , three sources tell NBC News.
The trio of insiders is reportedly familiar with the probe into the case, which, as of now, appears to revolve around Robinson, 22, acting alone.
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 02:30
Commenting on political climate in US, Angelina Jolie says she doesn’t ‘recognize’ her country
On Sunday, the Maria actor, 50, attended the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain for the premiere of her latest movie, Couture, when she was asked, “What do you fear as an artist and an American?”
After a brief pause, she admitted it was “a very difficult question.”
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 02:00
CNN pundit Van Jones says Charlie Kirk sent him unexpected final message
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 01:30
Watch: Trump and Erika Kirk embrace at conclusion of Charlie Kirk memorial service
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 01:00
Full story: ‘Charlie’s angry with me right now’: Trump says he ‘hates opponents’ moments after emotional Erika Kirk ‘forgives’ husband’s killer
President Donald Trump said that he “hates” his political opponents moments after Erika Kirk, the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, forgave her husband’s killer in an emotional tribute at his memorial.
Trump apologized to Kirk and his widow for “disagreeing” with them when it comes to dealing with political foes.
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 00:45
‘For Charlie’: Musk tweets picture of him and Trump
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 00:43
Watch: Charlie Kirk tribute video captures last moments at Utah Valley University
Charlie Kirk’s last moments at Utah University shown in tribute video
Charlie Kirk’s final moments at his Utah University talk have been shown at his memorial service. The rich-wing activist can be seen arriving at the campus and greeting students, just minutes before he was shot in the neck and killed on 10 September. The footage was shown on a big screen at his memorial service on Sunday (21 September), which was attended by more than 200,000. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance; Marco Rubio, Secretary of State; Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense; Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence; Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff; and Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff, all attended the event.
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2025 00:30
