US President Donald Trump has arrived at Charlie Kirk’s public memorial Sunday at State Farm Stadium, after the conservative activist was fatally shot at a campaign event at a university in Utah on 10 September as he debated members of the crowd.
Trump, who has credited Kirk for playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, is one of many notable speakers and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” or MAGA movement, including Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
“We’re going to celebrate the life of a great man today,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House on Sunday morning to make his way to Arizona for the service. “It will be a tough day.”
The first to speak on Sunday was Rob McCoy, the pastor emeritus of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in California, who said he was Kirk’s pastor of choice.
“Charlie was never afraid, because he knew his life was secure in the hand of God,” McCoy, who is a vocal supporter of Trump, said.
Donald Trump Jr, right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson and White House aide Stephen Miller are also set to speak.
The memorial service for Kirk has drawn tens of thousands of mourners. His death marked a pivotal moment in America’s tense political climate and came at a time when the country found itself in an era of deep political division.
Members of the public began lining up outside the stadium before dawn, and the 63,400-seat stadium quickly filled with people dressed in red, white and blue, organisers said.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, once a close ally of Trump, has also been spotted in the crowd.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA, an organisation that aimed to mobilise young Christian conservatives. The large turnout at his funeral stands as a testament to the significant influence the 31-year-old had accumulated in America.
Watch the memorial for Charlie Kirk live on Euronews in the player above.