Donald Trump and prominent members of his “Make America Great Again” movement will lead tributes to Charlie Kirk today as the murdered conservative activist is laid to rest.
Kirk, whom Mr Trump credits with playing a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, was fatally shot in the neck on September 10 while speaking at a Utah university as part of his popular public debate series.
The memorial service is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners, including vice president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and defence secretary Pete Hegseth.
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who is taking the reins of Turning Point USA – Kirk’s right-wing youth action campaign – will also address the audience at the 63,000-seat State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Kirk’s killing has further deepened acrimonious political divisions in the United States. In response to the killing, the White House last week declared it would crack down on what it terms “domestic terrorism” by the political left.
