Charlie Kirk Funeral Live Updates: Memorial draws huge crowd; Donald Trump, JD Vance set to speak

Charlie Kirk Funeral Live Updates: Several lawmakers, conservative influencers, and Republican officials have already arrived. In addition to general admission, various levels of access are available, including “floor” passes and VIP access.

Charlie Kirk Funeral Live Updates: Donald Trump credited Charlie Kirk for making college campuses ‘safe’.
“He did a tremendous job, and he had a hold on youth because they loved him,” Trump said, according to Reuters news agency. “If you go back 10 years, those colleges were dangerous places for conservatives and now they're hot. They're very hot, just like this country is hot.”

US Vice President JD Vance has paid tribute to his “dear friend Charlie Kirk” ahead of today’s memorial service.
“Last week, we brought my dear friend Charlie Kirk home one last time. Today, we return to Arizona to remember Charlie and honor his sacrifice. May he eternally rest in peace, and may God watch over Erika and their beautiful children,” Vance, who is due to speak later today, wrote on X.

The venue of Charlie Kirk's memorial is rapidly filling. The first and second tiers of seating are now full, and the uppermost level is beginning to look full as well. Lines of attendees continue to snake through the stadium as people find their seats.

Charlie Kirk Funeral Live Updates: In the hours before the official program of Charlie Kirk's memorial begins, CNN reported that Turning Point USA volunteers are walking through the concourse at State Farm Stadium with clipboards to help register voters.

Attendees were also handed flyers for America Fest 2025, TPUSA’s annual conference in December, with discount codes to attend.

Turning Point USA was a major organising force in President Donald Trump’s reelection, pouring millions of dollars into the battleground state of Arizona. Many hope their work will continue in the wake of Kirk’s passing.

Erika Kirk has revealed she wears the blood-stained pendant of St. Michael that her husband, CharlieKirk, was wearing when he was shot.

The small icon, with blood traces in the crevice of the cross, was ripped from Kirk’s body by medics as they attempted to stop the bleeding after he was shot at a Turning Point USA event in Utah less than two weeks ago, Erika told the New York Times.

Ballistic glass surrounds the podium at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service today inside Arizona’s State Farm Stadium.

Axios reported that the conservative activist Charlie Kirk will be laid to rest in Phoenix, Arizona, his adoptive hometown.

No official statement has been released regarding whether Charlie Kirk's memorial service will include an open casket.

Erika Kirk pledged in an emotional speech days after Charlie Kirk's death that “the movement my husband built will not die.”

Charlie Kirk was a MAGA celebrity with a loyal following that turned out to support or argue with him as he travelled the country for events like the one at Utah Valley University, where he was fatally shot. Kirk grew the organisation, in large part, through the force of his personality and debating chops.

US President Donald Trump said far-right activist Charlie Kirk's funeral would be to “celebrate the life of a great man”, as he left from Maryland for the memorial service venue in Arizona.

Remembering Kirk as a “great man”, he further told reporters in a brief interaction: “We want to look at it as a time of healing, a time of whatever, that something like this could've happened — not even believable.”

A Glendale Police Department spokesperson said that more than 200,000 may attend today’s memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which would be double the previous estimate of 100,000.

Jose Santiago told CNN that over 200,000 people have registered for the event on Turning Point USA’s website.

Christian musicians are on stage playing worship music as the crowd continues to arrive. Many in the crowd are standing and raising their hands to the music.

Organisers, according to Reuters, expect the State Farm stadium, which has a capacity of more than 73,000, to fill and have arranged for an overflow space at a nearby arena.

CNN reported that the streets of Glendale are gridlocked for miles. Streams of attendees — many wearing apparel with Charlie Kirk’s likeness — are parking miles away and walking to the stadium. As a long procession of motorcycles donning American flags wove through the congestion, many motorists stepped out of their vehicles and applauded, with some yelling, “God bless America!”

Ahead of Charlie Kirk's funeral, prosecutors have charged the accused shooter, Tyler Robinson, with aggravated murder and announced they would seek the death penalty.

The charging document for the 22-year-old suspect outlines evidence collected by investigators, including DNA on the suspected murder weapon and a texted confession.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slammed Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who have vowed to go after Democrats and liberal organisations in the wake of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s assassination, describing their actions as retribution.

“I think this is right out of the authoritarian playbook. They’re taking a terrible crime, this awful murder of this young man, and they are trying to use it, along with others of their rationales, to go after their political opponents,” Clinton told CNN in her first televised interview since the 2024 election.

A large line of cars was outside the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday morning ahead of Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.

According to CNN, the cars lined up as early as 4.20 a.m. MT (local time) and stretched for blocks.

The funeral will take place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Doors open at 8 a.m., and the service begins at 11 a.m. local time.

A Fox News report said that flowers and personal tributes have been prohibited inside the venue. Attendees can send memorial items to Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix. The organisation is instead encouraging that donations should be made.

Prior to the funeral’s start, Turning Point USA issued clear guidelines for those attending. Guests were asked to dress in ‘Sunday best’ attire in red, white, or blue. Organisers also said free parking will be available but only in limited numbers, and had urged attendees to carpool instead.

There is a strict no-bag policy in place. Even the clear bags, which are normally permitted in the stadiums, are not allowed. They said anyone who brought a bag will be turned away and required to rejoin the line after returning it to their vehicle.

Apart from Donald Trump, US Vice President JD Vance, and several cabinet members, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, will be at the event.

Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, is also expected to speak at the funeral. Moreover, Christian artists like Chris Tomlin and Brandon Lake will be putting up musical performances.

Charlie Kirk's memorial will also be streamed live through the activist’s Rumble account as well as Turning Point USA’s platforms, and will be carried by major networks, including Fox and CBS.