Trump pays tribute to Charlie Kirk
Donald Trump is addressing the tens of thousands of people attending the memorial.
The president says America is a nation “in shock and a nation in mourning”.
Trump says:
Less than two weeks ago, our country was robbed of one of the brightest flights of our times, a giant of his generation, and above all, a devoted husband, father, son, Christian and patriot, Charles James Kirk was heinously murdered by a radicalized, cold-blooded monster, for speaking the truth. That was in his heart he was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice for God, country for reason, and for common sense.
Key events
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Trump recounts key stages of Kirk’s life and work – but can’t bring himself not to mention politics with a reference to plans to send national guard troops to Chicago.
Trump says: “Charlie was filled with a patriotic spirit from his youth, and he was an all American in everything he did. And one of the last things he said to me is, please Sir, save Chicago. We’re going to do that. We’re going to save Chicago from horrible crimes.”
Trump next mentions Kirk’s parents, telling them:
“To Charlie’s parents, who lost their beloved Son and to the entire Kirk family, we know that no words could ever be enough to fill the void he leaves behind. That’s a void that just can’t be filled.”
“But I hope the extraordinary outpouring of emotion over these past 11 days has comforted you with the knowledge that your son brought more good and love into this world in his 31 short years than most people, even very, very successful people can bring in a lifetime.”
Trump echoes what many of the other speakers have done – calling Kirk a “martyr”.
Trump says Kirk’s “name will live forever in the eternal chronicle of America’s greatest patriots, he will live forever”.
He then goes on to pay tribute to Kirk’s widow Erika and the couple’s children and tells them the US shares in their “immense and overwhelming sorrow”.
Trump pays tribute to Charlie Kirk
Donald Trump is addressing the tens of thousands of people attending the memorial.
The president says America is a nation “in shock and a nation in mourning”.
Trump says:
Less than two weeks ago, our country was robbed of one of the brightest flights of our times, a giant of his generation, and above all, a devoted husband, father, son, Christian and patriot, Charles James Kirk was heinously murdered by a radicalized, cold-blooded monster, for speaking the truth. That was in his heart he was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice for God, country for reason, and for common sense.
Donald Trump enters stage as last speaker at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service
Donald Trump, the last speaker of Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, has just entered the stage, following a eulogy by Kirk’s wife, Erika.
Trump entered the stage as Lee Greenwood performed God Bless the USA on stage.
“For America, for Charlie Kirk!” Greenwood said alongside Trump as the president looked on at the cheering crowd.
Erika Kirk concluded her speech, saying:
“Charlie’s life was a turning point for this country. It was a miracle… Choose prayer, choose courage, choose beauty, choose adventure, choose family, choose a life of faith. Most importantly, choose Christ.”
Donald Trump takes stage to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk
Donald Trump has taken the stage to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk, a close ally he has publicly grieved since he was shot 11 days ago.
Trump is the final speaker at the memorial.
Trump and Musk meet on sidelines of memorial event
During the speeches, Elon Musk was seen talking to Donald Trump in the president’s box at the State Farm stadium.
Musk was seen sitting next to the president and the pair shook hands.
The meeting came after a public falling out between Trump and his onetime close adviser.
Erika Kirk has vowed to continue the work of her husband as the new CEO of Turning Point USA, saying:
“I do not take that lightly. Charlie and I were united in purpose. His passion was my passion, and now his mission is my mission. Everything that Turning Point USA built through Charlie’s vision and hard work, we will make 10 times greater through the power of his memory.
Chapters will grow. Thousands of new ones will be created. TPUSA Faith will add 1000s of new pastors and congregations. Yes, campus events will continue, and we will continue to hold debates and dialogue.
The first amendment of our constitution is the most human amendment… No assassin will ever stop us for standing up to defend those rights.”
Erika Kirk on her husband’s suspected shooter: ‘I forgive him’
Erika Kirk has publicly forgiven her husband’s shooter, saying:
“My husband, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life. That young man, that young man.
On the cross, our savior said: ‘Father, forgive them for they not know what they do.’
That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and it is what Charlie would do.
The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love, love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”
Erika Kirk went on to say:
“To all the men watching around the world: accept Charlie’s challenge and embrace true manhood… Love your wives and lead them. Love your children and protect them. Be the spiritual head of your home but please be a leader worth following.
Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals. You are one flesh, working together for the glory of God…
Women, I have a challenge for you too: be virtuous. Our strength is found in God’s design for our role. We are the guardians. We are the encouragers. We are the preservers. Guard your heart. Everything you do flows from it.”
Erika Kirk spoke of her marriage with her husband, saying:
“The greatest cause in Charlie’s life was trying to revive the American family. When he spoke to young people, he was always eager to tell them about God’s vision for marriage and how if they could just dare to live it out, it would enrich every part of their life in the same way that it enriched ours.
And someone once asked me how Charlie and I how we kept our marriage so strong when he was busy traveling. Our little secret, it was love notes. Every Saturday, Charlie wrote one for me, and he never missed a Saturday. And in every single one of them, he’d tell me what his highlight was for the week, how grateful he was for me and our babies, and always at the end, he would always end it with asking the most beautiful question. He’d always end it by asking, please, let me know how I can better serve you as a husband.
Charlie perfectly understood God’s role for a Christian husband, a man who leads so that they can serve you.”
Erika Kirk continued her address, saying:
“These past 10 days after Charlie’s assassination, we didn’t see violence. We didn’t see rioting. We didn’t see revolution. Instead, we saw what my husband always prayed he would see in this country, we saw revival. This past week, we saw people open a Bible for the first time in a decade. We saw people pray for the first time since they were children. We saw people go to a church service for the first time in their entire lives…
The seed has only just been planted. The enemy will tempt you the most in a time like this one. God will always be there for you, but you must choose to mark your soul again, again and again in the direction of Christ.
Pray again, read the Bible again, go to church next Sunday, and the Sunday after that and break free from the temptations and shackles of this world.”
Erika Kirk on seeing her husband at the hospital: ‘I felt…a level of heartache that I didn’t even know existed’
Speaking to the crowd, Erika Kirk said:
“11 days ago, God accepted that total surrender from my husband and then called him to his side…
God’s love was revealed to me on the very day my husband was murdered. On the afternoon of September 10, I arrived at a Utah hospital to do the unthinkable, to look directly at my husband’s murdered body.
I saw the wound that ended his life. I felt everything he would expect to feel. I felt shock. I felt horror, and a level of heartache that I didn’t even know existed. But there was something else too. Even in death, I could see the man that I love… I also saw on his lips the faintest smile…
Even the doctor told me there was something so instant that even if Charlie had been shot in the operating room itself, nothing could have been done. There was no pain, there was no fear, no agony. One moment Charlie was doing what he loved, arguing and debating on campus, fighting for the gospel and truth in front of a big crowd, then he blinked. He blinked and saw his savior in paradise.”
Erika Kirk takes the stage to pay tribute to her husband
Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, has just taken the stage.
Kirk was visibly moved as she looked out into the audience who cheered and applauded.
Approaching the podium, Kirk blinked back tears as the crowd rose to a standing ovation.
In his concluding remarks, JD Vance said:
“For Charlie, we will speak the truth every single day. For Charlie, we will rebuild this United States of America to greatness. For Charlie, we will never shrink, we will never cower, and we will never falter, even when staring down the barrel of a gun. For Charlie, we will remember that it is better to stand on our feet, defending the United States of America and defending the truth than it is to die on our knees.”
He went on to say:
“My friends, for Charlie, we must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America, and he is a martyr for the Christian faith. May our heavenly father give us the courage to live as Charlie lived. That is what we must do. For Charlie, you ran a good race, my friend. I love you. We’ve got it from here. Thank you.”
JD Vance went on to add:
“He was taken from us by those who despise the virtues that actually made our civilization great to begin with, dialogue, truth-seeking, family and faith. In the wake of his death, we have seen some of the very worst parts of humanity. We have watched people slander him. We have watched people justify his murder and celebrate his death. I know that this makes you angry, just as it has made me angry, but it is easy in these moments to see only the worst of our fellow man.
I found myself wishing that I could pick up the phone and talk to my friend and ask him for his advice and his counsel, to ask him how to respond to such hate and the souls from which that hate springs…
I think he would encourage me to be honest, that evil still walks among us, not to ignore it for the sake of a fake kumbaya moment, but to address it head on and honestly as the sickness that it is.”
JD Vance says Charlie Kirk ‘transformed face of conservatism’
Vice president JD Vance just took the stage, hailing Charlie Kirk as someone who “transformed the face of conservatism in our own time.”
Making multiple references to conservative talking points including anti-abortion sentiments and religiously-guided family values, Vance said:
“Charlie Kirk brought many truths in his life… He brought the truth that marriage and family were the highest callings, far more important than any job or educational credential. He brought the truth that our nation would fade unless it brought order to its neighborhoods and prosperity to its people. He brought the truth that life was precious and we must fight to protect it at all stages and at all times.”
