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Tag: Charlie Kirk

  • Over 73,000 come to remember Charlie Kirk

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    Tony Dokoupil reports on Sunday night’s memorial service for Charlie Kirk, held before a capacity crowd at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

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  • Trump, others remember Charlie Kirk at memorial service

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    President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several others remembered Charlie Kirk at a memorial service in Arizona that was attended by thousands. Kris Van Cleave has more.

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  • Watch: Trump speaks at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service

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    President Trump on Sunday remembered Charlie Kirk with an address at the conservative activist’s memorial service in Arizona.

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  • Charlie Kirk’s friends praise slain activist’s faith, mark on conservative movement

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    President Donald Trump and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” movement paid tribute Sunday to Charlie Kirk, praising the slain political conservative activist as a singular force whose work they must now advance.Stream the service in the video player aboveThe memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, drew tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, other senior administration officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.“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,” Vance said. “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.”Speakers highlighted Kirk’s profound faith and his strong belief that young conservatives need to get married, build families and pass on their values to keep building their movement. They also repeatedly told conservative activists, sometimes in confrontational tones, that the best way to honor Kirk was doubling down on his mission to move American politics further to the right.Kirk’s assassination at a Sept. 10 appearance on a Utah college campus has become a singular moment for the modern-day conservative movement. It also has set off a fierce debate about violence, decency and free speech in an era of deep political division.High security and a full stadiumThose close to Kirk prayed and the floors shook from the bass of Christian rock bands as the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals took on the feel of a megachurch service.“Charlie looked at politics as an on-ramp to Jesus,” said the Rev. Rob McCoy, Kirk’s pastor.People began lining up before dawn to secure a spot inside State Farm Stadium west of Phoenix, where Kirk’s Turning Point organization is based. Security was tight, similar to the Super Bowl or other high-profile event. The speakers delivered their tributes from behind bullet-proof glass.The 63,400-seat stadium quickly filled with people dressed in red, white and blue, as organizers suggested.Kirk’s widow, Erika, in her own address said in the midst of her grief she was finding comfort that her husband left this world without regrets. She also said she forgives the man who is charged with killing him.“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” said Erika Kirk, who is taking over as Turning Point’s leader. She added, “I forgive him.”A 22-year-old Utah man, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with killing Kirk and faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charges. Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a text to his partner following the shooting that he “had enough” of Kirk’s hatred.Kirk’s legacy of conservative political influenceTurning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilize young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach.“Charlie’s having some serious heavenly FOMO right now,” Tyler Bower, Turning Point’s chief operating officer, said, likening the moment to bringing “the Holy Spirit into a Trump rally.”The crowd was a testament to the massive influence he accumulated in conservative America with his ability to mobilize young people.His impact on modern-day conservatism went beyond U.S. shores.Kirk “was very effective because he was convinced of his views and knew how to argue them,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said at a political rally Sunday in Rome.Kirk was a MAGA celebrity with a loyal following that turned out to support or argue with him as he traveled the country for the events like the one at Utah Valley University, where he was shot. Kirk grew the organization, in large part, through the force of his personality and debating chops.“He slayed ignorance,” said Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “He cut through lies. He woke people’s minds, inspired people’s hearts and imparted wisdom every day.”Speaker after speaker, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressed their awe at Kirk’s ability to go into what many conservatives saw as the lion’s den to make the conservative case: college campuses.“Why don’t you start somewhere easier,” Rubio joked when he first heard about Kirk years ago. “Like, for example, communist Cuba?”

    GLENDALE, Ariz. —

    President Donald Trump and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” movement paid tribute Sunday to Charlie Kirk, praising the slain political conservative activist as a singular force whose work they must now advance.

    Stream the service in the video player above

    The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, drew tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, other senior administration officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.

    “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,” Vance said. “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.”

    Speakers highlighted Kirk’s profound faith and his strong belief that young conservatives need to get married, build families and pass on their values to keep building their movement. They also repeatedly told conservative activists, sometimes in confrontational tones, that the best way to honor Kirk was doubling down on his mission to move American politics further to the right.

    Kirk’s assassination at a Sept. 10 appearance on a Utah college campus has become a singular moment for the modern-day conservative movement. It also has set off a fierce debate about violence, decency and free speech in an era of deep political division.

    High security and a full stadium

    Those close to Kirk prayed and the floors shook from the bass of Christian rock bands as the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals took on the feel of a megachurch service.

    “Charlie looked at politics as an on-ramp to Jesus,” said the Rev. Rob McCoy, Kirk’s pastor.

    People began lining up before dawn to secure a spot inside State Farm Stadium west of Phoenix, where Kirk’s Turning Point organization is based. Security was tight, similar to the Super Bowl or other high-profile event. The speakers delivered their tributes from behind bullet-proof glass.

    The 63,400-seat stadium quickly filled with people dressed in red, white and blue, as organizers suggested.

    Kirk’s widow, Erika, in her own address said in the midst of her grief she was finding comfort that her husband left this world without regrets. She also said she forgives the man who is charged with killing him.

    “My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” said Erika Kirk, who is taking over as Turning Point’s leader. She added, “I forgive him.”

    A 22-year-old Utah man, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with killing Kirk and faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charges. Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a text to his partner following the shooting that he “had enough” of Kirk’s hatred.

    Kirk’s legacy of conservative political influence

    Turning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilize young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach.

    “Charlie’s having some serious heavenly FOMO right now,” Tyler Bower, Turning Point’s chief operating officer, said, likening the moment to bringing “the Holy Spirit into a Trump rally.”

    The crowd was a testament to the massive influence he accumulated in conservative America with his ability to mobilize young people.

    His impact on modern-day conservatism went beyond U.S. shores.

    Kirk “was very effective because he was convinced of his views and knew how to argue them,” Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said at a political rally Sunday in Rome.

    Kirk was a MAGA celebrity with a loyal following that turned out to support or argue with him as he traveled the country for the events like the one at Utah Valley University, where he was shot. Kirk grew the organization, in large part, through the force of his personality and debating chops.

    “He slayed ignorance,” said Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “He cut through lies. He woke people’s minds, inspired people’s hearts and imparted wisdom every day.”

    Speaker after speaker, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressed their awe at Kirk’s ability to go into what many conservatives saw as the lion’s den to make the conservative case: college campuses.

    “Why don’t you start somewhere easier,” Rubio joked when he first heard about Kirk years ago. “Like, for example, communist Cuba?”

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  • At Charlie Kirk’s Funeral, “The Power of Martyrdom” and “a Righteous Fury” Were on Display

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    As the procession of speakers made its way up the chain of conservative command, the service turned further towards setting a political agenda for the aftermath of Kirk’s murder. The goal now is “achieving victory in his name,” White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said.

    Miller also made appeals to faith, reflecting in his speech on how the angels wept for Kirk. But the tears had turned into fire, he said, and “that fire burns with a righteous fury that our enemies cannot comprehend or understand.”

    Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, speaks at his memorial service.

    PATRICK T. FALLON/Getty Images

    Donald Trump and Elon Musk shake hands during the public memorial service for Charlie Kirk.

    Donald Trump and Elon Musk shake hands during the public memorial service for Charlie Kirk.

    CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/Getty Images

    In this stew of rage and spirituality, the speakers built a cumulative testimony to Kirk’s own rhetorical style, as displayed on college campuses throughout the country during his advocacy career. It was, for all its provocations, a tactic that reached its way to the political approach of the White House’s senior most figures and had some apparent unifying effect on them. Shortly before the president spoke, Musk and Trump had what appeared to be a friendly reunion as they overlooked the service.

    Kirk’s widow Erika, whom his organization Turning Point USA recently announced as his successor as CEO, was one of the day’s final two speakers, and struck a conciliatory note as she spoke of the suspect in Kirk’s murder. “I forgive him,” Erika said through tears. It had been her husband’s mission, she added, “to save young men just like the one who took his life.”

    Addressing his and Kirk’s followers, Trump momentarily kept the temperature low, reflecting in sweeping terms on the activist’s legacy and his love for country. “This is not an arena, it’s a stadium,” he said, admiring Kirk’s reach.

    But as he switched tacks, touting his plans to crack down on crime in Chicago and other punitive measures he had in mind for perceived adversaries, Trump claimed, smiling proudly, that there was a key difference between him and the college debate enthusiast he was mourning. The faithful tones yielded, as his remarks stretched on, to an oppositional stance.

    “I can’t stand my opponent,” Trump told the audience.

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    Dan Adler

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  • Erika Kirk remembers her husband, Charlie Kirk, says she forgives alleged shooter

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    Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, spoke Sunday at the memorial service for her husband.

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  • Watch: Vice President JD Vance remembers Charlie Kirk at memorial service

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    See Vice President JD Vance’s remarks from Charlie Kirk’s memorial service Sunday in Arizona.

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  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump Jr. deliver remarks at Charlie Kirk memorial

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    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump Jr. deliver remarks at Charlie Kirk memorial – CBS News










































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    HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump Jr. spoke Sunday at the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

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  • Stephen Miller, Susie Wiles, Tucker Carlson speak at Charlie Kirk memorial service

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    White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson share their thoughts about Charlie Kirk at his memorial service in Arizona.

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  • Erika Kirk wants no part in trial of suspected gunman: “I do not want blood on my ledger”

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    It would be understandable if Erika Kirk wanted retribution.

    The horrific death of her husband on a college campus in Utah was recent enough to be easily counted in days. In an interview with the New York Times ahead of conservative activist Charlie Kirk‘s funeral, however, she said that his assassination was “God’s plan” and that her faith keeps her from wanting revenge.

    “I’ve had so many people ask, ‘Do you feel anger toward this man? Like, do you want to seek the death penalty?’ I’ll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this. I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger,” she told the outlet. “Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: ‘Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?’ And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?”

    The Turning Point USA founder was at the first stop of a planned tour of college campuses when he was fatally shot in the neck. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson has been charged with murder. Just prior to that day, however, Erika Kirk described a charged and excited atmosphere in her household.

    “His adrenal glands were just going off,” Erika Kirk said. “He’d been waiting all summer to begin touring… He had whiteboard sessions for hours. Mock debates. He was just so excited.”

    Erika Kirk said that she was meant to be at the first event of her husband’s “American Comeback” tour, but stayed behind in Arizona because her mother was undergoing medical treatment. She got the call that her husband had been shot while sitting in her mother’s hospital room. Charlie Kirk’s plane took Erika to Provo, where she insisted on seeing her husband’s body.

    “I want to see what they did to my husband,” she recalled to the Times. “His eyes were semi-open. And he had this knowing, Mona Lisa-like half-smile. Like he’d died happy. Like Jesus rescued him. The bullet came, he blinked, and he was in heaven.”

    The post Erika Kirk wants no part in trial of suspected gunman: “I do not want blood on my ledger” appeared first on Salon.com.

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  • Dr. Ben Carson, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Jack Posobiec remember Charlie Kirk

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    Sunday at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Arizona, Dr. Ben Carson, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Jack Posobiec spoke about the conservative activist.

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  • Turning Point USA members speak about Charlie Kirk

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    Mikey McCoy, Tyler Bowyer, Justin Streiff and Stacy Sheridan spoke about their slain colleague, Charlie Kirk, Sunday at the conservative activist’s memorial service in Arizona.

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  • Watch: Steve Amerson sings the national anthem at Charlie Kirk memorial service

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    Singer Steve Amerson sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” Sunday at the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

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  • Charlie Kirk memorial service is today. Here’s how to watch and more details.

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    A memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona today is set to feature President Trump, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and more than half a dozen top Trump administration figures addressing an NFL-sized crowd at State Farm Stadium.

    Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed as he spoke at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. A 22-year-old suspect has been charged with aggravated murder.

    Kirk’s assassination has rocked the conservative world. A prolific and sometimes controversial speaker, Kirk was known for his college campus events and debates, his role in mobilizing GOP voters and his close ties to the Trump administration.

    Where is Charlie Kirk’s memorial service taking place?

    The service takes place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, near Phoenix. The stadium, which is home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, can typically seat up to 63,400 people.

    Organizers say security will be tight, with “TSA-level screening” expected.

    Federal authorities have designated the memorial service as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event, a senior Department of Homeland Security official said. That designation is used for “significant events with national and/or international importance that require extensive federal interagency support,” like the Super Bowl.

    What time is Charlie Kirk’s memorial service?

    The service began at 11 a.m. local time in Arizona, or 2 p.m. ET.

    Who will speak at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service?

    President Trump and Vice President JD Vance are both scheduled to speak, along with the activist’s widow, Erika Kirk, who was named Turning Point USA’s new CEO on Thursday.

    Several other administration officials are set to speak, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and key Trump aides Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor.

    The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is also listed as a speaker, as is right-wing media personality and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

    Many of the speakers had extensive personal and professional ties with the slain activist.

    Kirk was a stalwart supporter of the president starting during his first campaign in 2016, and he remained allied with Mr. Trump after he left office under a cloud of controversy following the Capitol riot in January 2021. In last year’s presidential race, Kirk’s Turning Point USA was widely credited with assisting the Trump campaign with grassroots voter mobilization.

    Kirk was also close with Donald Trump Jr. and worked closely with the younger Trump as an aide during the 2016 campaign. “Charlie wasn’t just a friend — he was like a little brother to me,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X.

    Vance has credited Kirk with introducing him to Donald Trump Jr. ahead of his 2022 Senate campaign, and with advocating “in public and private” for the president to choose Vance as his running mate last year. Kirk’s body was flown from Utah to Arizona on Vance’s jet, Air Force Two.

    Kennedy has called Kirk the “primary architect of my unification with President Trump,” referring to the former Democrat’s decision to drop his independent campaign for president last year and publicly endorse Mr. Trump at a Turning Point Action rally.

    Several Christian musicians are also listed on the program: Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes.

    Who was Charlie Kirk?

    Kirk was the leader of Turning Point USA, a group for young conservatives that he co-founded in 2012, at the age of 18. A native of the Chicago area, Kirk briefly attended community college but dropped out to pursue political activism full-time.

    He was a ubiquitous presence in politics: He hosted a daily talk radio show and podcast, and he visited scores of college campuses every year, where he was known for hosting rapid-fire debates with left-leaning students.

    Kirk frequently drew controversy for his views. He supported Mr. Trump’s false claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election, and his group maintained a “Professor Watchlist” of college instructors accused of spreading “leftist propaganda.”

    Turning Point USA says it has chapters at thousands of high schools and colleges, and the group’s political arm, Turning Point Action, engages in grassroots canvassing.

    Kirk was also a family man with two young children

    “He was the perfect father. He was the perfect husband,” Erika Kirk said last week in her first public remarks after the shooting.

    Who is Erika Kirk?

    Charlie and Erika Kirk wed in 2021, after they began dating in 2018.

    A Phoenix-area native, Erika Kirk won Miss Arizona USA in 2012, attended Arizona State University and later earned a juris master degree from Liberty University.

    She was a frequent presence at Turning Point USA events, where she spoke about politics, religion and her conservative views on family and marriage. She also founded a clothing line called PROCLAIM and a ministry called BIBLEin365.

    During one appearance on “The Charlie Kirk Show” earlier this year, Erika Kirk said she’s more conservative than her husband.

    “Not even close,” her husband agreed. “I am a moderate compared to Erika.”

    In public remarks two days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Erika Kirk vowed that the “movement my husband built will not die.”

    On Thursday, the board of Turning Point USA announced it had unanimously chosen Erika Kirk to serve as the organization’s new chair and CEO.

    How to watch Charlie Kirk’s memorial service

    The memorial service will be livestreamed.

    What: Public memorial service for Charlie KirkDate: Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025Time: 11 a.m. local time; 2 p.m. ETLocation: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, ArizonaOnline stream: Live on CBS News 24/7 on your mobile or streaming device

    Note: Streaming plans are subject to change.

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  • Turning Point USA Will Be “Bigger Than Ever”: Inside the Charlie Kirk Memorial Service

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    A small group of Kirk critics gathered outside the stadium, some with placards bearing some of the pundit’s more controversial quotes. Most appeared to be congregants of Westboro Baptist Church, a far-right religious group that issued a press release attacking Kirk a week ago. “The Christ that [Kirk] preached was not the Christ of the Bible,” the group said in a statement. “He was no different than all other false Christians as he lied and mistakenly taught free will and that God loves everyone.”

    According to one attendee, opposition to Kirk’s message is welcome. “I love the protesters. That’s what America’s about. I was there on January 6th,” said Kirk mourner and Vietnam veteran “New York Myke” Shelby, referring to the pro-Trump protests of Jan. 6, 2021. “I went there because I didn’t think Joe Biden could get 81 million votes. I still don’t believe it. … That’s what Charlie Kirk was about.”

    Others said that those who spoke against Kirk—such as suspended talk show host Jimmy Kimmel—deserved to be muffled. “Just a few years ago they were banning Trump on Twitter and Facebook and those kinds of things,” said Tasha Pantau, who with her daughter, Sheridan wore a red “Make America Great Again” hat. “So they didn’t mind when it happened to Trump.”

    An image of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is projected on a screen ahead of his memorial service.

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    As the stadium began to fill, lines of demarcation grew more visible. Black-suited men, many in sunglasses, prowled the perimeter, as casually dressed mourners—most clad in the red, white, and blue attire requested by organizers—filled the stands. On the floor of the stadium were more prominent members of the movement, most dressed in more traditional funeral garb.

    By 11 a.m. local time, nearly all the seats in State Farm Stadium were full, the air a combination tent revival and political rally. Attendees holding up signs bearing Bible verses stood shoulder-to-shoulder, many engaged in loud and enthusiastic prayer that contributed to the deafening noise. Friends and strangers embraced, many in tears. Others expressed joy and hope for a future shaped by Kirk beliefs.

    “Looking forward Turning Point is going to grow exponentially, which effects directly the youth of this country,” said Allan Weistock, whose biker vest reads “Born to Ride for 45, Donald J. Trump.” “So I think that’s a great thing. As much as I miss Charlie, his movement’s only going to grow.”

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  • Savannah Chrisley says ‘our lives are on the line’ following Charlie Kirk’s death, vows to fight on

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    Savannah Chrisley is continuing to mourn the loss of Charlie Kirk. 

    During an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” the “Chrisley Knows Best” star — who was set to join Kirk on a college campus tour before his assassination — opened up about the impact the conservative activist had on her life and explained why it is important to continue his fight. 

    “I think when this assassin did take Charlie’s life, that was the turning point for him,” Chrisley said. “He thought he was ending Charlie’s life, but he really just created millions and millions of Charlie’s followers to fight. To fight for our freedom, to fight for us to have a voice. For me to watch it, it’s so sad and it breaks my heart. To see Erika [Charlie’s wife] step in as a woman and take on this role, Charlie knew that if he couldn’t do it, she was the only one that could do it.”

    CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER, DEAD AT 31 AFTER UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING

    Savannah Chrisley says ‘our lives are on the line’ following Charlie Kirk’s death.  (Getty Images)

    Chrisley said that Kirk “gave [her] a voice] in times when she felt she didn’t have one. 

    “I was so excited to get to sit next to Charlie and open up to him and get to know him on a more personal level, like a lot of my friends who got to know him,” she said. “But above all else, Charlie has been a voice for our country.” 

    The reality TV star said it is remarkable to see how Charlie’s legacy at Turning Point USA has impacted young adults, including her brother. 

    “To watch my 19-year-old brother and watch all these college kids now show up and be loud and not be afraid because, at the end of the day, our lives are on the line,” she said. “2028 is coming up. And Charlie, he wants us to fight. He wants us to be loud. And he said it himself, ‘If you don’t correct evil, if you don’t speak about evil, when evil is happening, then that in itself is evil.’ So it’s my job to stand up, be loud, and really I don’t care who likes it and who doesn’t.”

    CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, JOSH DUHAMEL, JILLIAN MICHAELS DENOUNCE POLITICAL VIOLENCE

    Savannah Chrisley at an event

    Savannah Chrisley was set to join Charlie Kirk on a college campus tour before his assassination on Sept. 10.  (DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

    “I keep saying that above all else, Charlie Kirk and his wife Erika, are Christians,” she continued. “Isn’t that really the message? I think bringing Christianity back into households is the only thing that’s going to save us as a country. I know for me, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I don’t know where I would be today without it. And so watching Erika, I don’t know how she spoke the word of God after losing her husband. I mean, I was in such awe to know that she is now the leader of Turning Point. I mean, we only go up from here.”

    Kirk, 31, was assassinated at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Sept. 10. He was pronounced dead later that day. 

    The political activist had traveled around the country to college campuses, where he had conducted question-and-answer sessions with students and discussed key political issues.

    Charlie kirk speaking at CPAC

    Kirk was assassinated at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem on Sept. 10.  (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

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    Authorities identified the murder suspect as Tyler Robinson, 22, who had been living with a 22-year-old roommate who is transitioning from male to female.

    President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other prominent political figures are slated to speak Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during an event honoring Charlie Kirk.

    Shortly after his death, Chrisley took to social media to share her thoughts.  

    “In those two and a half years, I’ve met so many great people and lifelong friends,” Chrisley, who had been fighting for her parents’ release from prison, said in a video shared on TikTok. “And one of those people that brought me into their world was Charlie Kirk. Someone who gave me a voice as a woman made me feel like I had the power to show up in this world. And he was assassinated today. It truly was a political assassination.”

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    “I don’t even have the words. I’m processing it. I’m truly grieving for his wife, Erika. One of the kindest, most loving human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. A woman who showed up for me. The last text that she sent me was the most God-fearing text.”

    WATCH: Country star Brantley Gilbert says Charlie Kirk’s death has him wrestling with faith and forgiveness

    Chrisley said that she was “ashamed that this is the world that my children are going to grow up in,” but insisted she wouldn’t let Kirk’s name go silent.

    “He created a movement. His legacy is one that I hope I can build half of for my kids,” Chrisley said. “All I can say is, this doesn’t make sense. I’m praying. I’m finding the words. I was supposed to be sitting next to Charlie every weekend in October. This is tough. Pray. Pray for Charlie. Pray for his parents, his children, his entire family. Erika, my heart is with you. I love you.”

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  • Charlie Kirk memorial live updates as service honors conservative activist

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    Trump calls it a “very tough day” ahead of memorial service

    Mr. Trump told reporters that it’s a “very tough day” as he departed the White House on his way to Glendale, Arizona Sunday morning for Kirk’s memorial service.

    “We’re going to celebrate the life of a great man today,” the president said, adding, “that something like this could have happened is not even believable.”

    Mr. Trump said of Kirk’s wife and family that he plans to continue to “give them my love.”

    “There’s nothing much you can say,” the president said. “You talk about the great things he’s done. I mean, he’s been amazing — had a tremendous influence for a young man that was… did a great job. He did a tremendous job.”

    Mr. Trump said Kirk “had a hold on youth because they loved him, they respected him.”


    By Kaia Hubbard

     

    Erika Kirk tells New York Times that she insisted on seeing her husband in the hospital: “I want to see what they did to my husband”

     In an interview with The New York Times that was published Sunday, Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk, said that when she arrived at the Utah hospital after he was shot, she was warned against seeing his body. But, she said she told officials, “I want to see what they did to my husband.”

    “His eyes were semi-open,” Kirk told the Times. “And he had this knowing, Mona Lisa-like half-smile. Like he’d died happy. Like Jesus rescued him. The bullet came, he blinked, and he was in heaven.”

    She said she had not kissed him before he left that morning, and she kissed him then.

    Erika Kirk told the Times about how she and Charlie met and their relationship. 

    “I’m not saying he was perfect, by any means,” she said. “But I knew my expectations and role, and he knew his. I wasn’t going to be the nagging wife who he wouldn’t want to come home to. I wanted to create a sacred landing space for him. And I think that’s why he was always eager to come home.”

    Erika Kirk also said she did not want to be the one who decided if the alleged shooter got the death penalty. 

    “I’ll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this. I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger,” she said. “Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: ‘Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?’ And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?”


    By Caroline Linton

     

    Tight security at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium, where memorial service is being held

    The memorial service for Charlie Kirk is taking place at State Farm Stadium —  normally home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. The stadium, which is located in Glendale, near Phoenix, can seat more than 63,000 people. 

    But police are anticipating that more than 100,000 people may turn out, so Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, also reserved the venue next door, the Desert Diamond Arena, for overflow. Desert Diamond seats about 18,000.

    Organizers said there would be tight security for the event, with “TSA-level screening” for the crowd. 

    Federal authorities have designated the memorial service as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event, a senior Department of Homeland Security official said. That designation is used for “significant events with national and/or international importance that require extensive federal interagency support,” like the Super Bowl.

    Read more here.

    By Joe Walsh, Nicole Sganga


     

    Who is speaking at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service?

    President Trump and Vice President JD Vance are both scheduled to speak at the service for Charlie Krik, as is his widow, Erika Kirk. 

    Other speakers include:

    • White House chief of staff Susie Wiles
    • Secretary of State Marco Rubio
    • Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
    • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
    • Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
    • Donald Trump Jr.
    • Tucker Carlson
    • Stephen Miller
    • Sergio Gor

    Additional speakers are also expected to be announced.


     

    What to know about Erika Kirk

    One of the marquee speakers at the memorial will be Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, who has taken on leadership of Turning Point USA following his death.

    The couple married in 2021 and had two young children. 

    Erika Kirk grew up in the Phoenix area and won Miss Arizona USA in 2012. She attended Arizona State University, earned a juris master degree from Liberty University and is pursuing her doctorate there in biblical studies.

    She was a frequent presence at Turning Point USA events, where she spoke about politics, religion and her conservative views on family and marriage. She also founded a “faith-based clothing line” called PROCLAIM and a ministry called BIBLEin365.

    During an appearance on “The Charlie Kirk Show” earlier this year, Erika Kirk said she was more conservative than her husband — and he agreed.

    In her first public remarks after his death last week, she said “the movement my husband built will not die.”

    On Thursday, the board of Turning Point USA announced it had unanimously selected her as its new CEO and board chair.


    By Joe Walsh

     

    At Turning Point USA, Kirk built a movement and stirred controversy

    Charlie Kirk was the leader of Turning Point USA, a group for young conservatives that he co-founded in 2012, at the age of 18. A native of the Chicago area, Kirk briefly attended community college but dropped out to pursue political activism full-time.

    He was an outspoken and ubiquitous presence in politics, especially for the younger set. He hosted a daily talk radio show and podcast, spread his message on social media and visited scores of college campuses every year, where he was known for hosting rapid-fire debates with left-leaning students. 

    Kirk frequently drew controversy for his views. He supported Mr. Trump’s false claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election, and his group maintained a “Professor Watchlist” of college instructors accused of spreading “leftist propaganda.”

    He espoused anti-trans rhetoric and amplified the “Great Replacement” conspiracy, the claim that there’s a plot to replace White people with minorities. 

    Turning Point USA, a nonprofit, says it has chapters at thousands of high schools and colleges, and the group’s political arm, Turning Point Action, engages in grassroots canvassing.


    By Joe Walsh

     

    Charlie Kirk’s close ties with Trump and Vance

    Kirk’s support for President Trump dates back to his first campaign in 2016, and he remained allied with Mr. Trump after he left office under a cloud of controversy following the Capitol riot in January 2021. 

    In the 2024 presidential race, Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, was widely credited with helping to energize and mobilize young conservative voters for Mr. Trump.

    Then President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, Dec. 22, 2024.

    Cheney Orr / REUTERS


    Kirk also grew close with Donald Trump Jr. after serving as an aide in the 2016 campaign. 

    “Charlie wasn’t just a friend — he was like a little brother to me,” Trump Jr. wrote on X.

    Vice President JD Vance has credited Kirk with introducing him to Donald Trump Jr. before Vance ran for Senate in 2022, and with advocating “in public and private” for the president to choose Vance as his running mate last year. 

    Following Kirk’s assassination, Vance accompanied Kirk’s casket as it was flown from Utah to Arizona aboard the vice president’s plane, Air Force Two. 


    By Joe Walsh

     

    How to watch Charlie Kirk’s memorial service

    • What: Memorial service for Charlie Kirk
    • Date: Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025
    • Time: 11 a.m. local time; 2 p.m. ET
    • Location: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
    • Online stream: Live on CBS News 24/7 on your mobile or streaming device

    Note: Streaming plans subject to change.


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  • Charlie Kirk’s memorial, and the wake of political violence

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    As a memorial is held this weekend for Charlie Kirk, who espoused views that both rallied fierce support and drew forceful criticism, his murder has been a catalyst for a national dialogue about political violence and free speech. Robert Costa reports.

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  • Charlie Kirk memorial expected to fill football stadium in Arizona, with Trump and prominent MAGA figures paying tribute | Fortune

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    President Donald Trump and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” movement will pay tribute Sunday to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose slaying has marked a signal moment in America’s fraught political atmosphere.

    The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, senior White House officials and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old firebrand.

    Kirk’s assassination at a Sept. 10 appearance on a Utah college campus has set off a fierce debate about violence, decency and free speech in an era of deep political division. The shooting also has stirred fear among some Americans that Trump is trying to harness outrage over the killing as justification to suppress the voices of his critics and political opponents.

    The service will take place at State Farm Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals west of Phoenix, where Kirk’s Turning Point organization is based. Security is expected to be tight, with a similar level of federal law enforcement presence as for the Super Bowl or other high-profile event.

    Comments about Kirk have become a Trump administration target

    Trump has blamed the “radical left” for Kirk’s death and threatened to go after liberal organizations and donors or others whom he feels are maligning or celebrating Kirk’s death.

    He criticized House Democrats who voted against a House resolution that praised “the life and legacy” of Kirk, which passed the Republican-controlled House on Friday.

    “Who could vote against that? All (Republicans) were saying was ‘Please condemn the assassination of a human being,’” Trump told reporters. “And (Democrats) said, ’No, no, we’re not going to do that.’”

    Dozens of people, from journalists to teachers, already have lost their jobs as prominent conservative activists and administration officials target comments about Kirk that they deem offensive or celebratory. The retaliation has in turn ignited a debate over the First Amendment as the Trump administration promises retribution against those who air what are seen as disparaging remarks in the wake of Kirk’s death.

    ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show off the air indefinitely following backlash from affiliated broadcasters and the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission over the comedian’s remarks about Kirk.

    The State Department also has warned it would revoke the visas of any foreigners who celebrated Kirk’s assassination.

    A 22-year-old Utah man, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with killing Kirk and faces the death penalty if convicted of the most serious charges. Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a text to his partner following the shooting that he “had enough” of Kirk’s hatred.

    Kirk’s legacy of conservative political influence

    Turning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilize young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach.

    The tens of thousands expected to fill the stadium in Glendale for Kirk’s memorial is a testament to the massive influence he accumulated in conservative America.

    Kirk was a provocateur who at times made statements that some called racist, misogynistic, anti-immigrant and transphobic. That has drawn backlash from conservatives who view the criticism as cherry-picking a few select moments to insult the legacy they see of an inspirational conservative leader.

    Kirk was a MAGA celebrity with a loyal following that turned out to support or argue with him as he traveled the country for the events like the one at Utah Valley University, where he was fatally shot. Kirk grew the organization, in large part, through the force of his personality and debating chops.

    Arizona is the adopted home state of Kirk, who grew up outside Chicago and founded Turning Point there before moving the organization to Phoenix. Vance, who has said Kirk’s advocacy was a big reason Trump picked him to serve as vice president, transported Kirk’s casket from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force Two the day after his death, and he later served as a guest host of Kirk’s podcast.

    Scheduled speakers at the service include Trump, Vance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Donald Trump Jr., right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson and White House aides Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor also are slated to speak.

    Longtime worship leader Chris Tomlin will provide music, along with other big names in contemporary Christian music, including Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, and husband-and-wife duo Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes.

    Kirk’s widow, who has been named Turning Point’s new leader, also will speak. Erika Kirk pledged in an emotional speech days after his death that “the movement my husband built will not die.”

    ___

    Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Tiffany Stanley in Washington contributed to this report.

    Fortune Global Forum returns Oct. 26–27, 2025 in Riyadh. CEOs and global leaders will gather for a dynamic, invitation-only event shaping the future of business. Apply for an invitation.

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    Jonathan J. Cooper, Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press

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  • Charlie Kirk remembered at large vigil in Lakeville

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    Minnesotans gather to remember Charlie Kirk



    Minnesotans gather to remember Charlie Kirk

    01:27

    Community members, local lawmakers and religious leaders all gathered in Lakeville, Minnesota, with heavy hearts, to remember Charlie Kirk.

    Carly Cison of Lakeville said she organized the vigil, and hundreds RSVP’d. Cison said it was on her heart and that she needed to step up and do something.

    “Be patriotic, come together, be united, and I think that’s something we all need.”

    The night featured prayer, speakers and a candlelight vigil. Speakers remembered Kirk as a devoted husband, a loving father and tireless advocate for conservative values.

    Those at the vigil said they’re remembering Kirk for his faith, his love for his country, and for helping spark a conservative movement among younger people.

    Sen. Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake spoke, condemning political violence, no matter political affiliation.

    “Political violence is not partisan. It doesn’t care if you wear red or blue, it doesn’t care if you’re conservative or liberal, it is the very enemy of our freedom,” said Pratt.

    Kirk was slated to speak at the University of Minneaota on Monday at a Turning Point USA event. The event is still going on, but conservative Michael Knowles will speak instead.

    Jason Rantala

    Jason Rantala joined WCCO as a reporter in June 2023. He’s a Minnesota native and is thrilled to be telling the stories of those in his hometown.

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    Jason Rantala

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