The five-hour and eleven minute funeral service for Charlie Kirk felt less like a memorial and more like a movement summit and call to action. More than 100,000 people filled State Farm Arena, home of the Arizona Cardinals, and designated overflow areas to honor the conservative activist — and to be told, repeatedly, that his death marked a beginning, not an end.
After three hours of worship from Christian music artists, the service opened with bagpipes playing “Amazing Grace.” Giant screens projected Bible verses and Turning Point USA ads as attendees waved flags, wept, prayed and sang along.
Pastor Rob McCoy, Kirk’s faith co-chair at Turning Point USA, told mourners that Kirk had once called him “America’s Pastor.” McCoy credited him with prophesying his own memorial service as a moment for national revival and issued a call for salvation, telling the crowd of new converts that “Charlie is up there so excited for you.”
One by one, Turning Point leaders and allies took the stage, blending tributes with political rhetoric. Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer joked that “Charlie’s having some serious heavenly FOMO right now,” while Turning Point USA COO Justin Streiff said Kirk “refused to let fear stop him.” Controversial podcaster Benny Johnson told the crowd, “Fight for Charlie Kirk!” comparing him to the apostle Stephen, widely regarded as the first Christian martyr.
Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna said that “there would be no Congressman Luna without Charlie Kirk,” urging the audience to “awaken a generation and save a nation.” Far right activist and Turning Point leader Jack Posobiec was among the most fiery speakers, shouting that “Charlie Kirk died for all of you!” and declaring that “Western Civilization was saved through Charlie’s sacrifice.”
Vice President J.D. Vance framed the day’s theme most clearly: “This is not a funeral but a revival.” He praised Kirk’s example of Christian fatherhood and traditional theology of family. Vance recalled that Kirk “treated the lowly staffer and the President of the United States the same,” and described him as “Athens and Jerusalem — the city of reason and the city of God in one person.”
The most emotional moment came when Erika Kirk took the podium. “Thank you for coming from all over the world to celebrate ‘My Charlie’,” she said through tears, recalling having to identify his body and finding comfort in her faith: “Thy will be done” She encouraged mourners to attend church next weekend and urged men to treat their wives with respect. And in a particularly strong moment, she spoke about forgiveness before publicly (and almost exhaustingly) forgiving Tyler Robinson — the man accused in her husband’s killing. “The answer to hate isn’t hate,” she said. “The answer is love.”
Lee Greenwood’s performance of “God Bless the USA” brought the stadium to its feet as Donald Trump entered, setting up a closing eulogy, which as expected was a rallying cry to turn grief into action.
Donald Trump, reading from a prompter in his usual monotone delivery, described the crowd as “like an old-time revival” and recalled how Kirk encouraged him to keep going in his campaign and administration. He credited Kirk with helping spread MAGA, introducing him to Kennedy and Vance, and assisting in his biggest campaign victories. Amid off-script digressions on the radical left and “fake news media,” Trump announced he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
To close the event, he asked Erika to join him on stage for a hug as a recording of “America the Beautiful” played, with Trump conducting the audience in singing while she again fought back tears.
Throughout the day, speakers portrayed Kirk as both martyr and movement-builder, with one message consistent across four hours: “Charlie died with incomplete work,” Erika Kirk said, “but not with unfinished business.”
