President Trump Leads a 'Nation in Mourning' in Keynote Speech of Charlie Kirk Memorial Event
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The keynote speaker at the memorial remembering Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday afternoon was President Donald Trump.

President Trump began with recognizing the deep wave of mourning that has engulfed many Americans in the wake of Kirk’s assassination just under two weeks ago on Sept. 10:

He mentioned that not only did the Turning Point USA co-founder and CEO bring together himself and now-HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but now-Vice President JD Vance. 

The vice president was on hand to speak about his friend Charlie, as RedState wrote.

READ MORE: JD Vance Mesmerizes Crowd at Charlie Kirk Memorial: ‘I Love You, My Friend, We’ve Got It From Here’

The president marveled about the fact that an 18-year-old Kirk began TPUSA just days after he graduated from high school in 2012:

Trump talked about Kirk’s overwhelming focus on his mission to save America:

He said, “As he liked to say back then, ‘We have a country to save.’ And he did.”

“The more success Charlie had, the more dangerous his mission became,” Trump said. 

“[Charlie Kirk] was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice, for God, country, for reason, and for common sense,” the president said. “He was assassinated because he lived bravely, he lived boldly, and he argued brilliantly without apology. He did what was right for our nation.”

He called the assassination “an assault on our God-given liberties and most sacred rights” as Americans:

But as Trump noted, the assassin failed to silence the message. It has completely backfired:

He also spoke directly to Charlie Kirk’s parents, in hopes of giving them comfort at this terrible moment:

“We know that no words can ever be enough to fill the void he leaves behind,” Trump said. “That’s a void that just can’t be filled, but I hope that the extraordinary outpouring of emotion over these past 11 days has comforted you with the knowledge that your son brought more good and love to this world in the 31 short years than most people – even very, very successful people – can bring in a lifetime.”

Kirk’s wife Erika spoke just before the president at the memorial event, as my colleague Jennifer Van Laar wrote.

READ MORE: Weeping, and With a Trembling Voice, Erika Kirk Forgives Her Husband’s Assassin

The president acknowledged the role how pivotal Kirk and TPUSA was in winning the 2024 election, especially among young people:

And while Kirk accomplished so much in his short life, Pres. Trump said that was never his most important role:

He noted that Kirk’s roots were in Chicago, and that in one of the last conversations they had, he made a request: 

Kirk will posthumously receive the “nation’s highest civilian honor,” the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which will take place during a ceremony at the White House, he announced.

As the strains of “America The Beautiful” began after his speech, Pres. Trump invited Mrs. Kirk back on stage, where an image representing a national moment of condolence is captured forever.

You can watch the president’s full remarks here or in the video below:

R.I.P., Charlie Kirk.

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