Trump Hails Charlie Kirk as ‘One of America’s Greatest Patriots’ in Powerful Memorial Speech
President Donald Trump delivered a deeply emotional and unapologetically patriotic tribute to Charlie Kirk on Sunday, calling the slain Turning Point USA founder “one of the greatest evangelists for liberty America has ever known” and declaring him a “martyr” whose legacy will echo through history.
“Today America is a nation in grief and a nation in mourning,” Trump began, addressing a packed crowd of more than 200,000 mourners at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. “Charlie Kirk was one of the brightest lights of our time — and he died for what was right for our nation.”
Trump: “He Became Immortal”
In his address, Trump repeatedly returned to the theme of legacy and sacrifice, referring to Kirk as someone who “became immortal” in death, likening his impact to that of the Founders and freedom fighters who gave their lives for the American experiment.
“He’s a martyr now,” Trump declared. “None of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk. And neither now will history.”
The president, who was the final speaker of the service, highlighted the sheer scale of the memorial — with attendees spilling from the NFL stadium into the adjacent NHL arena, and even into surrounding restaurants and bars.
“He could always draw a big crowd — look at this today,” Trump said, as he gestured to the tens of thousands gathered. “This is a big crowd.”
The Moment Trump Heard the News
Trump also recalled the exact moment he learned of Kirk’s assassination during a Utah campus event on Sept. 10.
“I was in a meeting with some of the biggest people — the most powerful people — and I had to excuse myself,” Trump said. “It was like a surreal experience. Terrible. Just terrible.”
Kirk was killed while taking questions under a tent marked with his signature phrase, “Prove Me Wrong,” in the opening event of TPUSA’s “American Comeback Tour.”
“A Giver, Not a Taker”
President Trump emphasized Kirk’s humility despite his meteoric rise from college dropout to political powerhouse.
“He was a giver much more than a taker,” Trump said, telling a story of how Kirk once invited a fourth grader onto his radio show — knowing full well the only people likely to listen were the boy’s parents. “No matter how big Charlie became, no one was too small for him to notice.”
Trump said the same drive and generosity that built TPUSA into a $95 million political empire was evident in every interaction Kirk had — from college campuses to cabinet meetings.
“As Charlie always said: ‘We have a country to save,’” Trump reminded the audience.
Honoring a Movement’s Martyr
Throughout the event, speaker after speaker — including Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, and Kirk’s widow Erika — referred to Charlie Kirk as a “martyr” and a “prophet” for America’s youth.
Trump’s speech brought that theme to a close with a call to action:
“This great American hero — that’s what he is — built something that will outlast all of us. It’s up to each of us to carry it forward.”
As chants of “USA! USA!” echoed through the stadium, Trump stepped away from the podium, leaving behind the image of a nation in mourning — and a movement more determined than ever.