GLENDALE, Arizona- US President Donald Trump is set to lead tributes at a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead last week during a speaking event in Utah.
The 31-year-old, founder of the right-wing youth organisation Turning Point USA, was killed on 10 September when a gunman opened fire while he was addressing students at a university. Kirk was shot in the neck and died at the scene.
Authorities arrested a 22-year-old suspect following a 33-hour manhunt. Prosecutors have since said they will pursue the death penalty. Officials allege the gunman was motivated by hostility towards Kirk’s rhetoric, which frequently targeted progressive groups including transgender people and Muslims.
The killing has intensified political tensions in the United States. In Phoenix, Arizona, near the Turning Point USA headquarters, hundreds of supporters gathered on Saturday, laying flowers, American flags, and balloons in red, white, and blue. Many carried placards with Kirk’s image alongside the words “Faith, Family, Freedom.”
“He was an amazing young man, who was taken away from us much too soon,” said Patti Peteque, 53, who joined the tribute.
The memorial service will be held on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, which seats 63,000. President Trump will be joined by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Other speakers include Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
Erika Kirk, the activist’s widow, will also address the audience and is expected to assume leadership of Turning Point USA.
President Trump has described Kirk as “a martyr for truth and freedom” and accused the “radical left” of fuelling hatred. The White House has since announced measures to tackle what it calls “domestic terrorism” from left-wing groups.
Trump also pledged to classify Antifa, a loosely organised anti-fascist movement, as a “major terrorist organisation,” reviving a proposal first raised during his previous term.
The administration’s actions have raised concerns among civil rights advocates. Amnesty International’s US executive director, Paul O’Brien, warned on Friday: “We are deeply concerned such efforts are becoming normalised here.”
Some conservatives, however, argue the measures are justified. “The left is just getting a taste of their own medicine. Who stood up when we felt censored?” said Ms Peteque in Phoenix.
The assassination of Charlie Kirk, has left a profound impact on American politics. As Trump leads tributes at the memorial, the nation remains deeply divided over both his legacy and the consequences of the activist’s death.