Charlie Kirk’s public memorial service took place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, drawing thousands of supporters and several high-profile political figures. The event honored the 31-year-old conservative activist, a close ally of former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who was tragically shot on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University.
The service featured speeches from Trump, Vance, and a long list of Cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
But the most talked-about remarks came from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who went on an unusual tangent while reflecting on Kirk’s legacy. Kennedy said Kirk believed “conversation was the only way to heal our country” and warned about how social media algorithms “hack into the reptilian cores of our brain and amplify impulses for tribalism and division.”
He added that Kirk viewed community as a “spiritual fire” that could only be built through dialogue a message that some attendees found profound, while others described it as puzzling and out of place for a memorial.
The memorial included worship led by Christian singers Chris Tomlin, Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe Carnes, Brandon Lake, and Phil Wickham. Security at the stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, was described as being at Super Bowl levels.
Kirk’s accused shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, turned himself in with his parents days after the incident. According to Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby, Robinson wanted to avoid a violent confrontation and was “fearful about being shot by law enforcement.”
The killing has already intensified the nation’s political divide. Trump vowed to crack down on what he called “radical left groups,” while former President Barack Obama criticized Trump for fueling division instead of promoting unity. Meanwhile, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely after controversial remarks he made about Kirk’s death.
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