SaralnamaUS President Donald Trump has hailed the conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a "great American hero" and "martyr" during a speech to tens of thousands of mourners at a memorial service in Arizona. Trump was the headline speaker at the packed event on Sunday, which saw top officials from his administration, including Vice-President JD Vance, praise Kirk's political legacy after he was shot dead. "He was assassinated because he lived bravely, he lived boldly and he argued brilliantly," Trump told the crowd at the State Farm Stadium near Phoenix. Kirk's wife, Erika, also delivered a tearful speech in which she said she had forgiven her husband's alleged killer. "My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life," she said, adding: "I forgive him because it is what Christ did.… (Updated 22 Sep 2025, 06:53 IST; source: link)
Key Points
- US President Donald Trump has hailed the conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a "great American hero" and "martyr" during a speech to tens of thousands of mourners at a memorial service in Arizona
- Trump was the headline speaker at the packed event on Sunday, which saw top officials from his administration, including Vice-President JD Vance, praise Kirk's political legacy after he was shot dead
- "He was assassinated because he lived bravely, he lived boldly and he argued brilliantly," Trump told the crowd at the State Farm Stadium near Phoenix