Around 95,000 people gathered for Charlie Kirk’s public memorial Sunday at State Farm Stadium and an overflow arena outside Phoenix.
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Kirk’s widow, Erika, who was named CEO of Turning Point USA, the conservative youth group Kirk co-founded and led, addressed the crowd.
Several members of the Trump administration spoke, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who rarely speaks at public events.
Gabbard called Kirk, 31, “fearless.”
“By trying to silence Charlie, his voice is now louder than ever,” she said.
The event was also a celebration of Christianity and conservative principles. Almost every speaker leaned into deeply religious themes. Some lashed out at unnamed enemies and the political left, imploring the crowd to wear the “full armor of God” and discussing “spiritual warfare.”
“I can’t help but think that they tried to silence my friend Charlie Kirk,” Vance said. “They tried to silence our dear friend Charlie Kirk, and today, tonight, we speak with Charlie and for Charlie, louder than ever.”
Erika Kirk delivered one of the most emotional moments of the night, telling the packed stadium she forgave the gunman who killed her husband.
She was embraced on stage by Trump, who closed the evening by reflecting on Kirk’s legacy of conservative activism, calling him a “martyr” who “did not hate his opponents.”
“He wanted the best for them,” Trump said. “That’s where I disagree with Charlie. I hate my opponents, and I don’t want the best for them. I am sorry, Erika.”
Kirk was assassinated Sept. 10 while he was speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University.
Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, among other charges.
More on Kirk:
- The federal investigation has yet to find a link between the suspect and left-wing groups, three sources familiar with the probe told NBC News.
- The rifle alleged to have been used was powerful, vintage and hard to trace, and there may be millions more in homes across the United States.
- An armed man who was alleged to have posed as law enforcement was detained at the memorial site before the event.
Meet the Press
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called for Americans to “universally condemn political violence” and “find our better angels” in the wake of Kirk’s assassination and a string of politically motivated violent incidents.
“We’ve got to universally condemn political violence, no matter where it is. Whether it’s against Charlie Kirk or someone else, it is not OK. We all have to work together to condemn it. We’ve got to find our better angels,” Shapiro, a Democrat, told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker in an interview that was taped Friday and aired Sunday.
In the interview, Shapiro also addressed excerpts from Kamala Harris’ memoir in which she concluded that Joe Biden’s decision to run again in 2024 was one of “recklessness” and wrote that “perhaps” she should have “told Joe to consider not running.”
Shapiro said, “She can explain what she means by that.”
Shapiro said he “went directly” to Biden with concerns last year and was “very direct and very blunt” about “worrying signs” for Democrats electorally.
Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr’s comments threatening to take action against Disney’s ABC last week were “absolutely inappropriate.”
Carr threatened to revoke broadcasting licenses from ABC after late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel made remarks about Republicans’ response to the assassination of Kirk.
“Brendan Carr’s got no business weighing in on this, but people have to also realize that despicable comments, you have the right to say them, but you don’t have the right to employment,” Paul said.
The show’s final guest was Mel Robbins, the popular motivational speaker who has sold millions of books, built one of the world’s top podcasts and promoted mantras for the goal-oriented and career-minded. But on “Meet the Press,” she flipped the script, casting herself not as the hero of her story, but as the villain.
“I feel like I spent my whole life navigating every decision based on people’s moods or what was going to make somebody happy or somebody’s expectations,” Robbins told Welker. “I chronically worried about what other people were thinking.”
Politics in brief
- Investigating foes: President Donald Trump exerted public pressure on Attorney General Pam Bondi, saying it was time for the Justice Department to take action against a number of his political foes.
- A meeting of the minds: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sent a letter to Trump requesting a meeting to discuss keeping the government open past the Sept. 30 funding deadline.
- Newsflash: Journalists who work at the Pentagon can no longer gather or report information, even if it is unclassified, unless it has been authorized for release by the government, defense officials announced. Reporters who don’t comply will have their media credentials revoked.
U.K., Canada and Australia recognize a Palestinian state, breaking with the U.S.
The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia officially recognized Palestine as a state, a significant shift in foreign policy and a step away from their alignment with the United States, with several other European nations and U.S. allies set to follow suit this week.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.
Canada had, moments before, become the first Group of 7 nation to recognize the state of Palestine, as Prime Minister Mark Carney promised a “peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the foreign leaders of giving Hamas a “prize.”
Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch will most likely have a role in the U.S. TikTok deal, Trump says
President Donald Trump suggested media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, who lead News Corp. and the Fox Corp., are involved in the deal for U.S. control of TikTok.
“Larry Ellison is one of them. He’s involved,” Trump told Fox News, referring to the executive chairman of Oracle Corp., when he was asked who was involved in the deal. “This great guy, Michael Dell, is involved. I hate to tell you this, but a man named Lachlan is involved. Do you know who Lachlan is? That’s a very unusual name, Lachlan Murdoch.” Dell is CEO of Dell Technologies.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt divulged details Saturday about the deal, under which the United States would control TikTok’s algorithm. Leavitt said the data and privacy aspects of the platform will be in the hands of Oracle.
A bad day for kickers in the NFL
The Los Angeles Rams, the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers all appeared to have clear paths to victories during Week 3 of the NFL schedule — only to be blocked.
Blocked field-goal attempts played major roles in shaping the outcomes of multiple games, none more stunningly than in Philadelphia, where the Eagles, trailing 26-7 during the second half, blocked kicks on the Rams’ final two drives to secure a comeback victory and improve to 3-0.
Even the previously winless Browns, one of the biggest underdogs of Week 3, got in on the action, blocking a kick en route to stunning the previously undefeated Packers, who were trying to take a lead with just 27 seconds lead in the fourth quarter.
Even worse for some fans? The blocked kicks had some major implications for bettors.
- Will the Chiefs get their first win? Kansas City finds itself in an unexpected slump to start the season. It hopes to avoid an 0-3 start when it plays the New York Giants on “Sunday Night Football.” NBC News will cover all the action.
Notable quote
It’s fun for us, because we can do little wagers, almost like a swear jar.
Madison Machen, who has a joint bank account with a friend
Looking to invest more in their friendships, some people are opening shared bank accounts as a counter to the popularity of “Buy Now, Pay Later” incentives.
In case you missed it
- California became the first state to ban most law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from covering their faces while they are conducting official business.
- A newly surfaced email revealed that Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, described Jeffrey Epstein as a “supreme friend” despite his conviction for sex offenses.
- Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson was named the WNBA MVP for an unprecedented fourth time.
- British rock star Morrissey canceled concerts in Massachusetts and Connecticut after reported threats against his life.
- Sonny Curtis, who wrote “I Fought the Law” and the theme song to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” died at 88.
- Cal Raleigh hit his 57th home run, passing Ken Griffey Jr. for the Mariners’ single-season record.
- A 64-year-old man suspected of shooting at the ABC affiliate station in Sacramento, California, was arrested, police said.
- A man was fatally shot and several other people were wounded when a gunman opened fire at a New Hampshire country club, the state attorney general said.
- The 40th edition of Farm Aid was held at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Here are photos from the benefit concert.