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\n\tDonald Trump called Charlie Kirk \u201cone of the brightest lights of our times\u201d and the \u201cgreatest evangelist for American liberty\u201d during his speech at the conservative activist\u2019s public memorial at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The event had the energy of a tent revival, several speakers observed. <\/p>\n
\n\tKirk, the far-right influencer and founder of Turning Point USA who helped boost Republican support among young people, was fatally shot at an event in Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cHis voice on earth will echo through the generations, and his voice will echo in the eternal chronicle of America\u2019s greatest patriots,\u201d Trump said at the Sunday memorial, adding that Kirk was killed by a \u201cradicalized cold-blooded monster.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tBefore departing for the Phoenix, Ariz., event, Trump told reporters at the White House that he was looking forward to the memorial as \u201ca time of healing, a time of whatever.\u201d Approximately 95,000 people attended the event in the stadium and overflow arena, NBC News reported.<\/p>\n
\n\tTrump during his speech praised Kirk as \u201cinspired by faith and love of freedom.\u201d He and several other speakers, including Vice President J.D. Vance, called him a \u201cmartyr.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOur greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal,\u201d Trump said. \u201cHe\u2019s a martyr now for American freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tTrump argued for a \u201cspiritual reawakening\u201d in alignment with Kirk\u2019s vision. \u201cWe have to bring back religion to America because without borders, law and order, and religion, you really don\u2019t have a country anymore. We want religion brought back to America. We want to bring God back into our beautiful U.S.A. like never before. We want God back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tVance called the event \u201ca revival in celebration of Charlie Kirk and of his lord Jesus Christ,\u201d echoing the comments of many speakers who addressed the crowd before him. Speakers\u00a0\u2014 faith leaders and members of the Trump administration alike \u2014\u00a0preached the gospel. Near voter registration forms, flyers announced, \u201cDon\u2019t just pray for change, vote for it!\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n\t\u201cI have talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have in my entire time in public life,\u201d Vance said. \u201cThat is an undeniable legacy of the great Charlie Kirk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMost of all, Charlie brought the truth that Jesus Christ was the king of kings,\u201d the vice president added. \u201cAnd that all truth flowed from this first and most important one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAs The New York Times\u2019 <\/em>Elizabeth Dias observed, the memorial was a \u201cpinnacle event reflecting how conservative Christianity has fused with Republican politics in the Trump era.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tEven Fox News commentator Kayleigh McEnany, who served as press secretary in Trump\u2019s first administration, commented on the religiosity of the speakers\u2019 remarks. \u201cTo see the secretary of state give a gospel message, and the secretary of war give a gospel message, and the son of the president Donald Trump Jr. tell the story of the first martyr, St. Stephen \u2014 amazing,\u201d she said during the network\u2019s coverage of the memorial. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve ever seen this from an administration ever.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tHealth and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. compared Kirk to Christ directly: \u201cChrist died at 33 years old, but he changed the trajectory of history,\u201d he said. \u201cCharlie died at 31 years old, but because he surrendered, he also now has changed the trajectory of history.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cEvery one of us needs to be a warrior like Charlie,\u201d Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told the crowd.<\/p>\n \t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n \n\tFar-right influencer Jack Posobiec praised Kirk as having \u201csaved western civilization.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cOur civilization will endure. The United States of America will endure. For Charlie, we will continue the mission\u2026 For Charlie, Turning Point USA will last forever,\u201d Posobiec said. \u201cAnd we will come to find that in the final moment that Western civilization was saved through Charlie\u2019s sacrifice in the only way possible, by returning the people to almighty God.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tWhite House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller gave a speech with his characteristic flair, comparing his party\u2019s political opponents to wicked and evil forces: \u201cWe will prevail over the forces of wickedness and evil,\u201d he said. \u201cThey cannot imagine what they have awakened. They cannot conceive of the army that they have arisen in all of us. Because we stand for what is good, what is virtuous, what is noble. And to those trying to incite violence against us, those trying to foment hatred against us \u2014 what do you have? You have nothing. You are nothing. You can build nothing. You can produce nothing. You can create nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tKirk\u2019s widow, Erika Kirk, who will succeed her husband as Turning Point USA\u2019s CEO, said that Charlie \u201cwanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThat young man,\u201d an emotional Kirk said of the man, Tyler Robinson, who allegedly shot her husband. \u201cI forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tTrump struck a different, less accepting chord. \u201c[Charlie] did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don\u2019t want the best for them. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m sorry, Erika.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump: He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry pic.twitter.com\/GUiW7NBb0y<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Acyn (@Acyn) September 21, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tTrump also claimed without evidence that \u201cthe violence comes mostly from the left,\u201d days after his Justice Department removed a study from its website concluding that far-right extremists commit \u201cfar more\u201d violence than extremists who support the far left or radical Islam. Again, the shooter\u2019s politics and motives are still unknown.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThe Department of Justice is also investigating network of radical left maniacs who fund, organize, fuel, and perpetrate political violence. And we think we know who many of them are,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n \t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n Trump: The department of justice is also investigating network of radical left maniacs who fund organized fuel and perpetrate political violence. And we think we know who many of them are pic.twitter.com\/H5eY5OmMzf<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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