Charlie Kirk memorial updates: 'I forgive him,' Erika Kirk says of alleged shooter

President Trump called Kirk "immortal" and speakers called him a "martyr."

Last Updated: September 21, 2025, 7:22 PM EDT

Charlie Kirk was remembered as a "martyr" and "warrior" by some of the leading lights of the conservative movement, the Trump administration, friends as well as his grieving widow during a packed memorial service in Arizona Sunday.

As President Trump and others noted, the service felt more like a "revival" rather than a memorial, and Kirk's connection to and efforts for his Christian faith were on full display throughout. Kirk was recalled for the movement among young conservatives that he helped spark, his willingness to debate and his fearlessness in the face of threats.

In a poignant moment, Kirk's widow, Erika said that she forgives her husband's alleged assassin.

Kirk, 31, founded Turning Point USA at age 18 and rose to become one of the most prominent conservative voices in the country. His influence, particularly with young people, helped propel Trump to office. But some of his comments on gun violence, LGBTQ issues, race and more often drew criticism from liberals and others.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Sep 21, 2025, 12:38 PM EDT

Tens of thousands pack arena for Kirk memorial, say officials

Local officials said they wouldn't be surprised if more than 100,000 people gather for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.

Other high-profile figures who are scheduled to deliver remarks include Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk is seen onstage at the Fiserv Forum during preparations for the Republican National Conventio, July 14, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Attendees have been asked to wear red, white or blue to the service.

Read more here.

Sep 21, 2025, 11:43 AM EDT

Trump says Kirk memorial is a ‘time of healing’

Ahead of traveling to Arizona for Charlie Kirk’s memorial, President Donald Trump praised him Sunday morning before boarding Marine One.

“We can celebrate the lives of a great man today, really a great man. He's a young man but a great man,” Trump said. “And we look forward to it. It really is. We want to look at it as a time of healing, a time of whatever, that something like this could have happened is not even believable.”

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.
Kent Nishimura/Reuters

Asked what he’s going to say to Kirk’s wife and family, Trump said he’s going to provide them comfort.

“Well, I'm going to just give them my love. There's nothing like you can say. You talk about the great things he's done. I mean, he's been amazing. He's had a tremendous influence for a young man that was, did a great job. He did a tremendous job, and he had a hold on youth because they loved him. They respected him,” Trump said.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Sep 21, 2025, 11:01 AM EDT

High security as crowds gather at State Farm stadium

The memorial event at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, has been designated as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event by the Department of Homeland Security, meaning it will have the same level of security as the Super Bowl or the Boston Marathon.

A Sept. 19, 2025, drone view of workers installing a photo of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk is shown ahead of a memorial service to be held for him on Sept. 21, at State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona.
Cheney Orr/Reuters

Local officials said they wouldn't be surprised if more than 100,000 people gather for the memorial.

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