Charlie Kirk will be honored at a public memorial service on Sunday, Sept. 21, in his home state of Arizona, Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization he cofounded, announced over the weekend.
“Join us in celebrating the remarkable life and enduring legacy of Charlie Kirk, an American legend,” the group said in a post on X.
The 31-year-old conservative activist was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10. Kirk’s body was transported from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two the following day.
The suspected gunman, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, is scheduled to be arraigned on murder charges on Tuesday.
“Charlie Kirk’s life was a testament to faith, courage, and conviction,” the message on a website for the memorial reads. “From his earliest days, he believed America was worth fighting for, and he dedicated every moment of his 31 years to that cause.”
When is the public service?
President Trump shakes hands with Charlie Kirk during an event at the White House in 2018. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The event will be held at the 63,000-seat State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, just outside of Phoenix. President Trump said he planned to attend the service, which is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. local time, or 2 p.m. ET.
According to Turning Point USA, the event “will bring together students, supporters, and national leaders from all across the country, including special guest and Charlie’s friend, President Donald Trump, to celebrate Charlie’s legacy and continue the fight for the principles he championed.”
Who else is expected to attend?
Top administration officials are also expected to attend the memorial, including Vice President JD Vance, who flew from Utah to Arizona on Air Force Two with Kirk’s casket and widow, Erika Kirk, the day after the killing. Vance also hosted Kirk’s eponymous livestream show on Monday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a memorial and prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. (Rod Lamkey Jr./AP)
Other Trump administration officials, Republican lawmakers and other supporters gathered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night for a memorial service and vigil in honor of Kirk.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt were among those who spoke at the event, which drew more than 2,000 people.
Trump told reporters that he felt “an obligation” to attend next weekend’s memorial for Kirk, one of his most prominent political supporters.
“Whenever it is, I’ll be going,” Trump said before details for the service were announced. “They’ve asked me to go, and I think I have an obligation to do that.”
