GLENDALE, ARIZ – Crowds in upwards of 100,000 filled two arenas on Sunday as Americans came together to remember Charlie Kirk in a memorial service that – at times – turned out to take on the feeling of a revival.
Those in attendance included President Donald Trump and his entire White House cabinet.
Kirk’s wife, Erika, spoke about the past 11 days since Charlie’s assassination.
“11 days ago, God accepted that total surrender from my husband, and then called him to his side,” she said. “Over these past 11 days, through all the pain, never before have I found as much comfort as I do in the words of the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Thy will be done.’”
She forgave her husband’s assassination.
“I forgive him because it is what Christ did and what Charlie would do,” Erika said.
The service lasted more than four hours.
Entering the arena’s stage to Lee Greenwood’s live rendition of “God Bless the USA,” President Donald Trump appeared to admire the thousands that were in the crowd in front of him.
Trump, who considered Kirk a friend, began by thanking Greenwood for his friendship – which has been constant from the day he announced he would seek the presidency.
He said Kirk ‘did what was right for our nation.’
Trump said the nation stands behind the Kirk family.
“Today, an entire nation wraps his loving arms around you and your beautiful children,” he said. “Charlie Kirk loved America with everything he had.”
Vice President JD Vance also spoke. Vance accompanied Kirk’s body and family back from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force 2.
“We have had a revival and celebration of Charlie Kirk and his lord Jesus Christ,” Vice President Vance said. “Tonight, we speak with Charlie and for Charlie louder than ever.”
Several talked about how he changed the country – including one of the top leaders in the United States government.
“Charlie Kirk was impactful,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
In a surprise announcement, Dr. Larry Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, told the crowd gathered that the college will be bestowing an honorary degree on Kirk next May 9.
“We will miss him dearly,” Arnn said. “He cannot be replaced.”
Several colleagues from Turning Point USA spoke about Kirk.
“11 days ago, my friend was martyred for using his voice to engage in peaceful dialogue,” former Chief of Staff Mikey McCoy said. “Charlie was not silenced, his movement is only beginning. We will all continue to serve you, as we continue to serve Jesus.”
The CEO of Turning Point Action, Tyler Bowyer, said Kirk “accomplished everything he put his mind to.”
Justin Streiff, Chief Operating Officer for the organization, said Kirk “simply refused to let fear stop him from carrying out God’s will for him.”
“He didn’t waste time, he lived every moment with conviction,” he said. “The last 31 years weren’t his career – they were his calling. Let us honor Charlie by doing what he did – stand for truth, confront evil (and) live courageously.”
Andrew Kolvet, the spokesman for Turning Point USA and executive producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, which airs on The Flag, said he’s ‘so proud’ of what the show has built ‘brick-by-brick’ over the past eight years.
He went on to talk about the week since Kirk died.
““It’s been excruciating to do this show the last week, but we knew it’s exactly what Charlie would have wanted,” Kolvet said.
