US President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration will headline a memorial service on Sunday in Arizona for Charlie Kirk, the influential conservative activist who was shot dead last week while delivering a speech at a Utah university.
Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally struck in the neck on September 10. Police apprehended a 22-year-old suspect after a 33-hour manhunt, with prosecutors now pursuing the death penalty. Authorities said the gunman cited resentment over Kirk’s rhetoric, which often targeted transgender people, Muslims, and other groups.
The killing has intensified political polarization in the US. Even before the suspect was arrested, Trump described Kirk as “a martyr for truth and freedom” and blamed what he called the inflammatory rhetoric of the “radical left.” The president has also credited Kirk with helping energize young voters during his re-election campaign.
At Turning Point USA’s Phoenix headquarters, mourners laid flowers, flags, and balloons on Saturday, while photos of Kirk bearing the slogan “Faith, Family, Freedom” lined the streets. Supporters described him as “an amazing young man who was taken away from us much too soon.”
Sunday’s service at the 63,000-seat State Farm Stadium in Glendale will feature speeches from Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who will assume leadership of Turning Point USA, is also expected to address the crowd.
In the wake of the shooting, the White House pledged a crackdown on what it calls “domestic terrorism” by left-wing groups. Trump announced plans to designate “Antifa” as a “major terrorist organization,” reigniting a move he had pushed in his first term. The administration has also drawn criticism for pressuring broadcasters, including the removal of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after remarks about Kirk’s killing. Rights groups such as Amnesty International warned that such measures risk normalizing the suppression of dissent in the United States.
What you should know
Charlie Kirk, a rising conservative figure and founder of Turning Point USA, was killed while speaking at a university event.
His death has fueled political tensions, with Trump calling him a “martyr” and pledging tougher action against left-wing groups, while rights organizations warn of growing threats to free expression.
