Thousands of people will gather on Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, for the memorial service of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which is meant to highlight his “indelible impact on American politics”, CNN reported on Saturday. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to be among the speakers.
In Tribute to the Deceased
The 31-year-old Kirk was shot on September 10 in front of crowds while giving a speech at Utah Valley University. He died after being transported to the hospital.
The memorial service, organized by Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the organization founded by Kirk, will take place in a stadium. Conservative experts and government officials are expected to pay tribute to him, the outlet reported. On Thursday, President Trump announced that he would attend the service to “honor Charlie and everything he did.” He added that Kirk was “a wonderful person”, and that – in his view – he could have become president one day.
Also present will be Vice President J.D. Vance and the widow, Erika Kirk. After her husband’s assassination, she announced that she would continue his work, including his podcast and outreach visits to universities. “The movement my husband built will not die,” she declared. Turning Point USA announced that the widow had assumed the role of the organization’s chief executive officer.
A Stadium Ceremony
Other speakers are expected to include White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Speeches will also be delivered by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the president’s son Donald Trump Jr., and former Fox News host and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
It is unclear how many people will attend the event. The stadium can hold at least 63,000. “I bet it will be pretty full, maybe completely full,” Trump said.
Personal attendance requires registration through Turning Point USA.
CNN noted that the event will pose serious security challenges for attendees. It will be a particular test for the Secret Service, which is tasked with coordinating security for the gathering in an era of growing political violence, the outlet stressed. The ceremony has been classified as requiring special protection at the SEAR-1 level.
Risk of an Attack?
The portal reported that U.S. security agencies have no information indicating any verified, credible threat. However, intelligence assessments suggest that extremists “may view the funeral service or related events as attractive targets for attacks due to the presence of senior U.S. government officials, local officials, and political activists, as well as the high level of international media attention.”
Turning Point USA signaled that attendees should expect security screenings, which could lead to longer wait times for entry.
Asked about the preparations of the Glendale Police Department, police spokesperson Moroni Mendez stressed that the city had hosted many major events in recent years, gaining the necessary experience to manage large crowds. “There will be a lot of important people here. Yesterday we met with the Secret Service to discuss how we plan to organize this event,” Mendez said. He warned of changes to traffic arrangements. “We will have all units available. It will be a busy day for everyone,” he noted.
