President Donald Trump is reflecting on the shocking death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk — and sharing personal memories of their friendship.
On Monday, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he plans to attend Kirk’s upcoming memorial service in Arizona, where he may deliver remarks.
“It’s going to be big,” Trump said. “I’m going to be at the stadium, and I guess I’ll say a few words. I don’t know, but I guess I will, but I knew him very well. He was an amazing guy. He was all about young people and getting them started.”
Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University. His memorial service is set to take place Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. The venue can host more than 63,000 people, and Trump predicted the event would reach full capacity.
The former president also praised Kirk’s widow, Erika, calling her “tremendous,” and said that the movement Kirk started could be stronger than ever. He pointed to the overwhelming response following his death, noting that Turning Point USA received over 37,000 requests for new campus chapters in 48 hours.
Trump also spoke about the man suspected of killing Kirk, describing a disturbing transformation.
“It seems like he has wonderful parents, born in a wonderful neighborhood. … And then, something happened to him over a fairly short period of time,” Trump said. “It looks like he was radicalized over the internet, and it’s radicalized on the left.”
The president grew emotional as he remembered his last conversation with Kirk, which perfectly captured their relationship.
“The last time the President spoke to Kirk was when the conservative activist invited him to speak at an event at the last minute,” Trump recalled. Laughing softly, he added, “He calls me and asks if I can speak—It was like in a day, I told him, Charlie, I’m the President of the United States, you can’t do this to me.”
However, Trump admitted that, despite the short notice, he almost always said yes. “But usually I ended up going. He was great. He was a great guy. And he didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve this. Believe me.”
The president also didn’t hold back when asked about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who faced criticism for her comments about Kirk. “I think she’s a disgraceful person,” Trump said. “You know, I think she’s a disgraceful person, a loser.”
According to the memorial website, doors at State Farm Stadium will open at 8 a.m. local time, and the program will begin at 11 a.m. The event is free and open to the public, though registration is required, and seating will be first-come, first-served.
