Mainstream United States politicians and prominent conservative figures paid tribute to assassinated right-wing activist and podcaster Charlie Kirk at a memorial service in Glendale, Arizona.
Attendees heard speakers shower praises on Kirk for his ability to connect with young American Christians.
His murder has created a political firestorm in US politics, with Trump and his entire cabinet blaming Democrats for the assassination, while some independent influential voices have suspected Israel’s hand behind the high-profile killing.
Kirk, the founder of the conservative action group Turning Point USA at just 18 years old, was killed by a sniper on 10 September while addressing students at a college in Utah.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the funeral, described Kirk as a “warrior” who had the “Biblical heart of a soldier.” He urged the activist’s followers to “live worthy of Charlie Kirk’s sacrifice.”
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The Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, hailed Kirk as a “warrior for truth and freedom.” She said, “His words were his weapons and slew ignorance, cut through lies, and woke people’s minds. His voice is now louder than ever.”
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident, has been charged with Kirk’s murder. Kirk's widow, Erika, said she has forgiven her husband’s killer, emphasising that his mission was to “save young men just like the one who took his life.”
She said, “That young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love.”
Kirk was regarded as one of the major factors in Donald Trump’s re-election to the White House in the 2024 US Presidential election.
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