Charlie Kirk funeral live updates: Trump praises ‘great American hero,’ widow Erika fearlessly forgives killer at massive memorial
More than 200,000 mourners gathered for the funeral of assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday in Arizona — a five-hour affair at times as fiery as it was somber, as dozens of people spoke steadfastly about carrying on his legacy.
A capacity crowd of people dressed in red, white and blue packed the Arizona Cardinals’ Glendale stadium to hear the slain right-wing influencer’s widow, Erika Kirk, President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and others eulogize the influential Turning Point USA founder.
Kirk, 31, was shot dead Sept. 10 as he spoke on a Utah college campus during a stop on his American Comeback Tour.
Follow The Post’s live updates from Charlie Kirk’s funeral at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ:
A striking composite image shared by Trump’s assistant and White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung shows the live broadcast of Charle Kirk’s funeral taking over network television:
“God bless the United States of America,” Trump said to end his remarks.
“Could I please ask Erika to come out?” he added. Charlie Kirk’s widow complied, and the two shared a hug onstage.
She closed her eyes, bowed her head and gave the “I love you” sign in American Sign Language.
“Thank you very much, and may God be with you,” the president finished, as “God Bless America” played in the arena.
Charlie Kirk was killed “for one reason, and for one reason only: he was winning,” Trump said.
“He was winning on college campuses” when he took his “Prove Me Wrong” pop-up tents to liberal “or as they like to call them, ‘progressive'” schools for open debate, Trump recalled.
Trump describes moment he heard about Kirk’s killing
Trump was meeting with the nation’s “biggest people” when he heard about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“I was in the midst of a very important conversation,” Trump said.
Despite the guest’s VIP status, the president says he told them, “You have to leave now. Right now. You have to leave.”
“It was like a surreal experience. Terrible, terrible,” Trump said.
Trump calls Kirk one of ‘America’s greatest patriots’
“Today America is a nation in grief and a nation in shock, and a nation in mourning,” President Trump said, calling Charlie Kirk “One of the brightest lights of our time.”
“He died what was right for our nation,” Trump said. “Our greatest evangelist for liberty became immortal.”
“He’s a martyr now,” the president added. “None of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk. And neither now will history.”
“He will live for ever in the chronicle of America’s greatest patriots.”
