OAN Staff Blake Wolf
8:55 AM – Sunday, September 21, 2025
Thousands of Charlie Kirk supporters gathered around State Farm Stadium in Glendale for the slain conservative activist’s funeral, which is expected to draw nearly 100,000 attendees.
Thousands of supporters turned up at the stadium before sunrise, causing gridlock on roads up to a mile away. Some individuals could be seen praying or singing devotional songs while waiting outside the stadium.
The funeral service will feature “TSA-level screening,” as President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, and many other government officials are set to deliver remarks.
President Trump spoke to reporters on his way to Arizona, announcing that the service will “celebrate the life of a great man.”
The president went on to reveal that he is in disbelief that “something like this could have happened… So we’ll have a very interesting day, very tough day.”
“He had just an army of young people,” Trump added, referencing Kirk’s connection and influence with the youth. “They loved him so much. I mean, they’re devastated right now. Everybody is devastated.”
Kirk was assassinated last Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University on the first stop of “The American Comeback Tour,” where he would engage in open dialogue with university students.
Vance, a longtime friend of Kirk, issued a social media post on Sunday morning, writing: “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.”
The memorial is set to begin at 11 a.m. local time, and is “first come, first served based on stadium capacity.”
State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, seats 63,400, but can expand to more than 73,000 for major events.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump Jr., White House advisor Stephen Miller, and Sergio Gor are all expected to give remarks as well.
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