'American martyr': Trump honours Charlie Kirk at funeral service attended by thousands

Tens of thousands of people, including US President Donald Trump, attended the memorial service of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona on Sunday. Kirk was shot dead earlier this month while he was addressing a rally at a university in Utah, sparking outrage among supporters of “the Make America Great Movement.”

The event took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, which has a capacity of more than 63,000 people. Organisers mentioned that additional space was arranged nearby to accommodate overflow crowds who were there to mourn the loss of one of Trump’s strongest allies . Apart from the president, the service was also attended by Vice President JD Vance and several other Republicans, who addressed the gathering.

While addressing the massive crowd mourning the loss of Kirk, Trump went on to call the Turning Point USA founder an “American martyr”. “He’s a martyr now for America’s freedom,” Trump said. “I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie. And neither now will history.”

Meanwhile, Kirk’s wife Erika, who also spoke at the service, said that she forgave Kirk’s shooter. It is pertinent to note that after a 33-hour-long manhunt, a man named Tyler Robinson is suspected of killing Kirk.

Trump government mourns Kirk’s loss

While the service was ongoing, the US Department of Homeland Security described the funeral as an event of “the highest national significance”, a designation usually reserved for occasions such as the Super Bowl. The body made it clear that tight security measures were in place due to Trump’s attendance and the political tension surrounding Kirk’s killing.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also released a statement, paying tribute to Kirk. “You thought you could kill Charlie Kirk? You have made him immortal,” he said. “You have no idea the dragon you have awakened. You have no idea how determined we will be to save this civilisation; to save the West; to save this republic," Miller furthered.

In his address, Trump called Kirk’s killing an “assault on all conservatives”. “The gun was pointed at him, but the bullet was aimed at all of us. That bullet was aimed at every one of us,” Trump said. Interestingly, he was among the only speakers at the event who made any direct reference to Kirk’s suspected killer and called for “radicalised, cold-blooded monster.”

Other speakers at the event, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defence Peter Hegseth, delivered their tributes from behind bulletproof glass. “Charlie joined a long line of courageous men and women who were martyred for what they believed,” said Donald Trump Jr, the president’s son, who had a close relationship with Kirk.

Over the years, Kirk has been a polarising figure, who even called for the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and whips against immigrants at the US-Mexico border. He also suggested Islam is a danger to American society, and claimed there was “no factual data to back up global warming”.