Trump admin updates: Trump at Charlie Kirk memorial service

The president and several of his Cabinet officials will speak at the service.

Last Updated: September 21, 2025, 4:09 PM EDT

President Donald Trump is among those who will speak Sunday at the memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Cook, who was assassinated last week.

On his way out of the White House Sunday morning, Trump defended Attorney General Pam Bondi for doing a "great job" after appearing to criticize her the day before over the lack of prosecutions against his political opponents.

On Friday, Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi about a variety of topics, including trade and the TikTok deal.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Sep 21, 2025, 1:45 PM EDT

Trump won’t confirm reported letter from Venezuela’s Maduro

Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn as he left for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, Trump was asked if he received a letter from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro asking to negotiate. Trump did not share whether he received the letter.

“Well, I don't want to say but we'll see what happens with Venezuela. I don't want to say, but yeah,” Trump said.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One to depart for Glendale, Arizona, to attend a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, at the White House in Washington, Sept. 21, 2025.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Reuters reported on Saturday that Maduro offered to engage in direct talks with the Trump administration days after the first U.S. strike on a boat from the South American country that Trump says was carrying drug traffickers.

In the letter to Trump that was reviewed by Reuters, Maduro pushed back against U.S .claims that Venezuela plays a heavy role in drug trafficking.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Sep 21, 2025, 12:59 PM EDT

Trump defends Bondi after pressuring her to prosecute opponents

After publicly putting pressure on Attorney General Pam Bondi to carry out prosecutions targeting his political opponents, Trump said she’s doing a “great job.”

Asked by ABC News if he would fire Bondi if New York Attorney General Letitia James is not indicted, Trump said, “No, she’s doing a great job – Pam Bondi is doing a great job. I think Pam Bondi is going to go down as one of the best attorney generals of the ages.”

President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One to depart for Glendale, Arizona, to attend a memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, at the White House in Washington, Sept. 21, 2025.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

This comes after Trump forced out the U.S. Attorney General for the Eastern District of Virginia after his office failed to find incriminating evidence against James.

Asked he had threatened to fire anyone in DOJ leadership if they don’t prosecute James or former FBI Director James Comey, Trump responded, “No, I don’t do that. I don’t do that. I mean, I look at the facts like everybody else. You read the facts, and to me, she looks terrible, she looks like she’s very guilty, but that’s going to be up to the DOJ.”

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Sep 21, 2025, 2:19 AM EDT

Trump to deliver remarks at Charlie Kirk memorial

President Donald Trump will depart the White House on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. EST en route to the memorial being held for murdered conservative political activist Charlie Kirk at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

People are pictured near the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 20, 2025.
Carlos Barria/Reuters

Trump will deliver remarks at the memorial service at 12 p.m. MST. He will return to the White House on Sunday night following the service, according to the White House's schedule.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

Sep 20, 2025, 7:55 PM EDT

Trump appears to criticize Bondi over investigations of political opponents

President Donald Trump appeared to criticize Attorney General Pam Bondi in a lengthy social media post Saturday over probes into his political opponents.

"Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, “same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done," Trump wrote.

"We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!," Trump continued.

PHOTO: Donald Trump Signs Memorandum In The Oval Office
U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters after signing a Presidential Memorandum in the Oval Office on September 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump signed a memorandum that will send members of the National Guard and federal law enforcement agencies to Memphis, Tennessee in an effort to decrease crime in the city. Also pictured is Attorney General Pam Bondi (L).
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The president specifically named former FBI Director James Comey, Sen Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Leticia James in his post.

He also brought up his frustration following the resignation of U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert of the Eastern District of Virginia, who had been pressured to pursue a case against James, according to sources.

Later in a follow-up post announcing he was appointing Lindsey Halligan to lead the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Trump wrote: "Pam Bondi is doing a GREAT job as Attorney General of the United States."

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