Videos: Trump, VP Vance honor Charlie Kirk at massive memorial service

President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and multiple top administration leaders spoke at Sunday’s memorial service for conservative activist and Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. 

During Sunday’s memorial service, Trump, who was a personal friend of the 31-year-old conservative activist, described Kirk as a “martyr for American freedom.”

“I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk, and neither now will history,” Trump said. “Because while Charlie has been reunited with his Creator in Heaven, his voice on earth will echo through the generations, and his name will live forever in the eternal chronicle of America's greatest patriots.”

Highlighting Kirk’s incredible legacy, Trump suggested that Turning Point USA is “going to be bigger and better than ever before” in the aftermath of the conservative activist’s recent assassination at Utah Valley University. While the president emphasized Kirk’s contributions to the conservative movement in the United States, his influence in American politics, and his service to the country, Trump said “the most important decision” in Kirk’s life was “to become a Christian and follower of his savior, Jesus Christ.”

During his speech on Sunday, Trump emphasized Kirk’s love for young Americans, including his opponents. “He did not hate his opponents,” Trump said. “He wanted the best for them.”

The president noted that instead of “demonizing” his opponents, Kirk tried to persuade people that the ideas and principles he believed in were “good, right, and true.” 

“Before each appearance, he prayed these words, God, use me for your will,” Trump added. “Always said the same thing. Use me for your will.”

During Vance’s speech on Sunday, the vice president said, “The evil murderer who took Charlie from us expected us to have a funeral today, and instead my friends we have had a revival in celebration of Charlie Kirk and of his Lord Jesus Christ.”

Vance told the crowd that if Kirk could continue to give him advice, he believes the Christian and conservative activist would encourage him to not only “be honest that evil still walks among us” but also to “focus on the good.”

“He would tell me to pray for my friends, but also for my enemies. He would tell me to put on the full armor of God and get back to work,” Vance continued. “He would tell us to commit ourselves to telling the truth and to fight for that truth each and every single day. He would tell us to talk about God’s love and the fact that that love applied [to] everybody across the whole human family.”

While Vance acknowledged that Kirk “suffered a terrible fate” by being assassinated while defending his beliefs, he noted that it was not the worst fate Kirk could have suffered.

“It is better to face a gunman than to live your life afraid to speak the truth. It is better to be persecuted for your faith than to deny the kingship of Christ. It is better to die a young man in this world than to sell your soul for an easy life with no purpose, no risk, no love, and no truth,” the vice president stated. “Christ told us in the Gospel of John, I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”