US President Donald Trump spoke at a memorial service for Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was shot dead earlier this month
Trump hailed Kirk as a “giant of his generation” and said America is “a nation in shock and mourning”, while Vice-President JD Vance said he “changed the course of history”
Tens of thousands of people gathered at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona to remember Kirk – our North America editor says it feels more like a political rally than a memorial
Kirk’s tearful widow Erika told the crowd said she had forgiven the man accused of killing her husband
Trump shook hands with Elon Musk as he watched some of the service – it is the first time they’ve been seen together publicly since a falling out earlier this year
Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a university event in Utah on 10 September. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with murder.
Kirk’s wife, Erika, also delivered a tearful speech in which she said she had forgiven her husband’s alleged killer.
Trump hails Charlie Kirk as ‘American hero’ as thousands fill memorial service
31 minutes ago
Robin Levinson-King andSarah SmithNorth America editor in Arizona
US President Donald Trump hailed the conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “great American hero” and “martyr” during a speech to tens of thousands of mourners at a memorial service in Arizona.
Trump was the headline speaker at the packed event on Sunday, which saw top officials from his administration, including Vice-President JD Vance, praise Kirk’s political legacy after he was shot dead on 10 September.
“He was assassinated because he lived bravely, he lived boldly and he argued brilliantly,” Trump told the crowd at the State Farm Stadium near Phoenix.
Kirk’s wife, Erika, also delivered a tearful speech in which she said she had forgiven her husband’s alleged killer.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said, adding: “I forgive him because it is what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate.”
Tens of thousands of people queued for hours outside the stadium before the event, with some even camping out the night before to secure their spot. Many wore Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats, other Trump-branded items and red, white and blue outfits.
Inside the stadium, the mood and atmosphere resembled a raucous political rally with music beforehand from Christian bands who prompted standing singalongs from the crowd of almost 100,000.
The list of speakers included members of Kirk’s organisation, Turning Point USA, which focuses on conservative activism on college campuses, well-known figures in the conservative movement, Trump administration officials and those who said they had been shaped by Kirk’s work and right-wing Christian worldview.
They stressed the need to continue the 31-year-old’s activism and emphasised his deep faith throughout the five-hour service. Kirk, who was debating students at a university in Utah when he was shot dead from a nearby rooftop, was repeatedly described as a martyr.
