Tens of thousands of the community, friends, family, and colleagues all gathered for the memorial service for Charlie Kirk, a well-known political commentator who passed away at the age of 31. Charlie Kirk, known for his influential yet controversial voice was a prominent figure in right-wing politics. Kirk was assassinated during a public speaking event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
The memorial was held in the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Sept. 21 more than a week after his death. The attendance of this event was over 90,000 including president Trump, vice president J.D. Vance, and Elon Musk. Important figures in Kirk’s life gave their speeches in admiration, honoring him as a hero and also paid their respects. Trump expressed his heart to the crowd, stating “Less than two weeks ago our country was robbed of one of the brightest lights in our time.” One memorable speech was held by Erika Kirk, the wife of Charlie Kirk, saying “When he went onto campus, he was looking to show them a better path–a better life that was right there for the taking,” delivering Charlie Kirk’s purpose of founding Turning Point USA and stepping onto the same campus he experienced his last day on.
The memorial also included high-end security that was managed by the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security. Protection was provided from all kinds of danger such as law enforcement, rooftop monitoring, and paramedics. Musical performances were held by Christian artists. Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, and Phil Wickham were in the list of performers.
Although many supporters of Charlie Kirk praised the memorial service, supporters of the other side responded with criticism. The exclusion of Candace Owens, a close associate of Kirk and another political commentator, drew critical response from Owens herself. She claimed her exclusion was from her own views and an attempt to silence her view on the circumstances around Kirk’s death. The event also received negative response from left-leaning and progressive critics such as journalists and social commentators argued that the characterization of Kirk as a “martyr” is politically motivated and unfair as they claimed the “martyr” status of Kirk could push political agendas and also oversimplify and rebrand Kirk’s problematic status as heroic. Charlie Kirk’s memorial shows how the people remember him very differently and how greatly divided they are.
