Former President Donald Trump spoke at a memorial event in Glendale, Arizona, honoring the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, where he revealed what he described as one of Kirk’s final appeals before his assassination earlier this month.
According to Trump, Kirk urged his administration to “save Chicago,” the city where he was born and raised in the suburbs. Trump, who has recently pledged to override Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and send National Guard troops to Chicago to combat violent crime, described the request as a lasting reminder of Kirk’s devotion to his hometown.
Trump’s Tribute to Kirk
“We owe Charlie a profound and eternal debt of gratitude,” Trump told the crowd, praising the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder for his activism.
“Charlie Kirk was heinously murdered by a radicalized leftist for speaking the truth that was in his heart. He lived boldly, argued brilliantly, and never apologized for doing what he believed was right for our nation.”
Trump, visibly emotional, addressed Kirk’s parents and family in the audience, saying that while no words could heal their pain, “America loved Charlie Kirk.”
A Political Connector
Trump credited Kirk with playing a key role in uniting different branches of his movement. He noted that Kirk was the one who introduced him to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and also to J.D. Vance during the Ohio Republican’s early political career.
Kirk, who was fatally shot in Utah Valley on September 10, was widely recognized for mobilizing young conservatives. During the 2024 election, Trump secured 43 percent of the vote among Americans aged 18 to 29 — a result many analysts attributed in part to Kirk’s influence on college campuses and his voter registration drives.
“The Bullet Was Aimed at All of Us”
Reflecting on Kirk’s death, Trump compared the assassination to an attack on his entire movement.
“The gun was pointed at him, but the bullet was aimed at every one of us,” Trump said. “Charlie is bigger than two weeks ago. He’s eternal. He’s looking down today and saying, ‘That’s a great crowd!’”
Trump, who himself survived two assassination attempts last year, described the moment he learned of Kirk’s killing as “surreal.”
A Memorial with Symbolism
The Glendale stadium event drew tens of thousands of supporters. In a symbolic gesture of unity, billionaire Elon Musk joined Trump in his booth, where the two greeted the crowd together.
Kirk’s legacy as a young conservative leader and political organizer remains central to the MAGA movement. For Trump, his death is both a personal loss and a rallying point — one he framed as a reminder of the risks faced by those who “speak boldly for freedom and justice.”