Donald Trump and JD Vance to be amongst tens of hundreds at Charlie Kirk memorial
Donald Trump, JD Vance and different senior US administration officers will attend a memorial service for murdered rightwing activist Charlie Kirk as we speak as greater than 100,000 individuals are anticipated to show up.
Doorways for the service being held on the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona open at 8am native time (11am ET). However crowds already swelled hours earlier to safe a spot within the stadium, which may maintain 63,400 individuals. Admission is on a primary come, first served foundation, organisers mentioned.
Kirk, an in depth ally of the US president, was shot useless at a college campus occasion on 10 September. His loss of life in Orem, Utah, shocked the nation and sparked condemnation from Republicans and Democrats. Utah resident Tyler Robsinson, 22, has been charged with a number of counts together with aggravated homicide following the 31-year-old’s killing.
For the reason that killing, high Trump officers have been threatening vengeance towards anybody deemed to not have sufficiently mourned Kirk’s loss of life. Vance endorsed a mass “doxing” effort to trace down and intimidate individuals and vowed to crack down on teams who rejoice Kirk’s loss of life and political violence towards their opponents. Dozens of individuals have misplaced their jobs within the aftermath of the killing or been penalised, together with late evening comic Jimmy Kimmel, whose present was yanked off air over Kirk-related feedback.
Federal legislation enforcement is treating the occasion with the identical safety preparations because the Tremendous Bowl, in accordance with Fox Information. The Division for Homeland Safety is assigning the memorial Particular Occasion Evaluation Score Degree 1, one of many highest potential ranges after a presidential inauguration or the Olympics.
We’ll carry you the newest political information and response from the memorial.
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Up to date at 11.20 EDT
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Listed here are extra photos from the newswires of individuals arriving contained in the venue and a primary take a look at the stage setup:
Stage forward of the general public memorial service for rightwing activist Charlie Kirk. {Photograph}: Patrick T Fallon/AFP/Getty PicturesIndividuals queue exterior to attend the service. {Photograph}: Cheney Orr/ReutersAttendees sing together with Christian performers. {Photograph}: Caroline Brehman/EPAArizona state trooper stands guard. {Photograph}: Carlos Barría/ReutersA lady sits inside State Farm stadium, with each seat given a placard for attendees to wave. {Photograph}: Caroline Brehman/EPAIndividuals arrive contained in the stadium. {Photograph}: Cheney Orr/ReutersShare
Up to date at 12.28 EDT
Marjorie Taylor Greene has additionally issued a tribute to Charlie Kirk forward of his memorial service.
Writing on X, the Georgia consultant mentioned:
“At the moment tons of of hundreds of individuals are gathering at State Farm Stadium in Arizona to recollect and honor the lifetime of Charlie Kirk. Concurrently what is admittedly occurring is a revival. By means of Charlie, individuals are assembly Jesus. Welcome to church!”
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Alice Speri
Charlie Kirk was shot whereas talking on the campus of Utah Valley College, close to Salt Lake Metropolis, as a part of the American Comeback tour, which is hosted by the college’s Turning Level USA (TPUSA) chapter and was attended by as many as 3,000 individuals, in accordance with Jeffrey Lengthy, the police chief on the college.
Kirk had pioneered a method of ideological warfare towards what he seen as bastions of leftism, serving to flip campuses into cultural battlefields and paving the way in which for Donald Trump’s unprecedented marketing campaign to weaken American universities and topic them to his motion’s ideological agenda.
“Charlie Kirk might be remembered as one of many foremost architects of the political technique of treating school and college students with whom he disagrees as enemies to be defeated,” mentioned Isaac Kamola, a political science professor at Trinity School whose analysis focuses on conservative efforts to undermine increased training.
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Up to date at 12.06 EDT
Lauren Gambino
on the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona
1000’s of individuals carrying pink, white and blue are pouring into State Farm Stadium in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix. Strains snaked a number of blocks earlier this morning earlier than dawn within the desert, the place temperatures have been anticipated to close 100 this afternoon.
Inside, many followers of Kirk, the huge stadium was dotted with pink MAGA hats and American flags. Seats started to fill hours earlier than the official program was on account of start. Some supporters have been already in tears as they listened to a Christian rock group that was acting on stage.
Individuals collect to attend a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium, on the day of a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, in Glendale, Arizona, U.S., September 21, 2025. {Photograph}: Carlos Barría/ReutersShare
Up to date at 12.13 EDT
J Oliver Conroy
Christian nationalists within the US are positioning Charlie Kirk as a martyr for his or her motion, one which has grown in reputation and whose rise was intertwined with Kirk’s personal political ascent.
After Kirk’s killing, his widow, Erika Kirk, wrote on social media that the “world is evil”, however God “so good”. The “sound of this widow weeping [echoes] all through this world like a battle cry,” she mentioned. “They do not know what they only ignited inside this spouse.”
Whereas Erika Kirk’s non-public sorrow is little question very actual, her public remarks are telling, mentioned Jeff Sharlet, the writer of a number of books on Christian nationalism and the far proper. “That’s holy battle, that’s accelerationism, and it’s extremely highly effective,” he mentioned, notably within the emotional context of a grieving widow.
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Up to date at 11.54 EDT
Forward of Charlie Kirk’s memorial service as we speak, JD Vance, who is predicted to ship an deal with, wrote on X:
“Final week, we introduced my pricey good friend Charlie Kirk dwelling one final time. At the moment, we return to Arizona to recollect Charlie and honor his sacrifice. Could he eternally relaxation in peace, and will God watch over Erika and their lovely youngsters.”
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The killing of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk final week has triggered a wave of political disquiet in Washington, with some Home Democrats fearing a messaging entice over a Republican decision to honor him whereas different lawmakers fear concerning the broader political temperature following authorities strain on broadcasters.
Democrats finally determined to facet with the Republicans to go the decision, with 95 Democrats in assist. Fifty-eight Democrats opposed it, 38 voted current and 22 didn’t vote.
The five-page decision, launched by the Home speaker, Mike Johnson, and co-sponsored by 165 Home Republicans however no Democrats, praises Kirk as a “brave American patriot” who sought to “elevate reality, foster understanding, and strengthen the Republic”.
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Up to date at 11.14 EDT
Lauren Gambino
People are grappling with the brutal killing and complex legacy of the 31-year-old conservative “youth whisperer”, Trump ally and podcasting provocateur, who was gunned down on 10 September in a brazen act of what prosecutors have labeled political violence – and which has deepened fears concerning the trajectory of a profoundly divided nation.
Kirk was struck by a single bullet in broad daylight as he spoke earlier than a crowd of three,000 largely school college students at Utah Valley College, the primary cease on his nationwide “American Comeback” campus tour. Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson, 22, with capital homicide in Kirk’s killing and mentioned they’ll search the loss of life penalty.
Within the wake of Kirk’s loss of life, Trump and his advisers have sought to solid blame on Democrats, despite the fact that elected leaders and get together officers have uniformly condemned the killing. Officers have mentioned they consider the suspect acted alone.
Prosecutors have mentioned that they believe Robinson killed Kirk as a result of he personally had develop into sick of what he perceived to be Kirk’s “hatred”. However, citing three sources acquainted with the investigation into Kirk’s killing, NBC reported Saturday that federal authorities haven’t discovered any hyperlink between Robinson and leftwing teams, on which the Trump administration has threatened to crack down after the lethal capturing.
Fueled by an outpouring of grief and rage on the appropriate, conservatives are demanding punishment for individuals who mocked or disparaged Kirk – a marketing campaign of retribution critics say mirrors the very cancel tradition he railed towards. Since his loss of life, lecturers, college students, journalists and late-night present host Jimmy Kimmel have been fired, suspended or disciplined over feedback associated to Kirk or his loss of life, in a clampdown that free speech advocates, democracy students and different comedians say quantities to authorities censorship.
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Up to date at 11.15 EDT
It’s unclear precisely what time Donald Trump is predicted to talk on the memorial however reporters have been instructed he’s considered the final speaker.
He’s set to reach on the occasion someday between 12pm and 3pm native time (3pm-6pm ET).
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Up to date at 11.16 EDT
The Guardian’s David Smith wrote this profile of Charlie Kirk:
Anybody who desires to grasp the rise of Donald Trump amongst younger voters has to grasp Charlie Kirk, dubbed a “youth whisperer” of the appropriate, who was shot on Wednesday at an occasion at Utah Valley College and died afterwards.
Kirk was solely 31 and had by no means held elected workplace however, as a pure showman with a aptitude for patriotism, populism and Christian nationalism, was wealthy within the political foreign money of the period.
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Up to date at 11.15 EDT
Officers count on greater than 100,000 individuals to show up for the memorial service in Glendale, Arizona. The State Farm stadium, dwelling of the NFL group Arizona Cardinals, can seat as much as 63,400 individuals and increase to carry one other 10,000. There’s extra seating of round 19,000 on the close by Desert Diamond Area.
Individuals began to reach earlier than daybreak to safe a spot. Steve Bannon was photographed amongst these arriving early. Pictures coming to us over the information wires present crowds making their method in the direction of the location hours earlier than the service is because of begin:
Individuals arrive to attend the general public memorial service of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk exterior State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona. {Photograph}: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty PicturesIndividuals arrive to attend the memorial service. {Photograph}: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty PicturesFar-right commentator and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon arrives. {Photograph}: Carlos Barría/ReutersCops trip bicycles exterior State Farm stadium as crowds arrive. {Photograph}: Cheney Orr/ReutersShare
Up to date at 11.33 EDT
Trump boards Air Power One to go to Arizona
Donald Trump has boarded Air Power One to fly to Arizona for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service. The US president is predicted to handle the group later as we speak.
Donald Trump departs to attend memorial service for Charlie Kirk. {Photograph}: Brian Snyder/Reuters
Earlier than leaving the White Home, Trump instructed reporters:
“We’re right here to rejoice the lifetime of a fantastic man. Actually a fantastic man. A younger man. We sit up for it. That one thing like this might’ve occurred is just not even plausible. Might be a really attention-grabbing day. A really robust day.”
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Up to date at 11.15 EDT
The Charlie Kirk memorial is predicted to begin at 11am native time (2pm ET) and Donald Trump is predicted to be one of many audio system.
Different audio system embrace:
Susie Wiles, the White Home chief of employees;
Marco Rubio, the secretary of state;
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the well being secretary;
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of nationwide intelligence;
Tucker Carlson, rightwing commentator and former Fox host;
Stephen Miller, White Home deputy chief of employees;
Sergio Gor, US particular envoy for south and central Asian affairs;
and Erika Kirk, Kirk’s widow and new head of Turning Level USA – the youth organisation her husband based.
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Up to date at 10.53 EDT
Donald Trump and JD Vance to be amongst tens of hundreds at Charlie Kirk memorial
Donald Trump, JD Vance and different senior US administration officers will attend a memorial service for murdered rightwing activist Charlie Kirk as we speak as greater than 100,000 individuals are anticipated to show up.
Doorways for the service being held on the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona open at 8am native time (11am ET). However crowds already swelled hours earlier to safe a spot within the stadium, which may maintain 63,400 individuals. Admission is on a primary come, first served foundation, organisers mentioned.
Kirk, an in depth ally of the US president, was shot useless at a college campus occasion on 10 September. His loss of life in Orem, Utah, shocked the nation and sparked condemnation from Republicans and Democrats. Utah resident Tyler Robsinson, 22, has been charged with a number of counts together with aggravated homicide following the 31-year-old’s killing.
For the reason that killing, high Trump officers have been threatening vengeance towards anybody deemed to not have sufficiently mourned Kirk’s loss of life. Vance endorsed a mass “doxing” effort to trace down and intimidate individuals and vowed to crack down on teams who rejoice Kirk’s loss of life and political violence towards their opponents. Dozens of individuals have misplaced their jobs within the aftermath of the killing or been penalised, together with late evening comic Jimmy Kimmel, whose present was yanked off air over Kirk-related feedback.
Federal legislation enforcement is treating the occasion with the identical safety preparations because the Tremendous Bowl, in accordance with Fox Information. The Division for Homeland Safety is assigning the memorial Particular Occasion Evaluation Score Degree 1, one of many highest potential ranges after a presidential inauguration or the Olympics.
We’ll carry you the newest political information and response from the memorial.
Share
Up to date at 11.20 EDT
