LIVE: Emotional farewell to Charlie Kirk in Arizona

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In his speech honoring Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump praised his bravery and emphasized that he gave his life for a set of values in which he deeply believed.

"We grieve for the friend and leader that we have lost, but we go forward strengthened by his faith and bolstered by his courage and inspired by his example to defend the country he lived for, for the freedoms He died for and the values in which he so deeply believed. He believed in values that we should all believe in. Charlie created something very special. It’s called Turning Point USA, and under the leadership and love of Erica, it will become bigger and better and stronger than ever before," Trump said.

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Vice President JD Vance paid tribute to Charlie Kirk in a speech in which he defined him not only as a hero but also as a martyr whose death will not be in vain.
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​“For Charlie, we will speak the truth every single day. For Charlie, we will rebuild this United States of America to greatness. For Charlie, we will never shrink, we will never cower, and we will never falter, even when staring down the barrel of a gun. For Charlie, we will remember that it is better to stand on our feet, defending the United States of America and defending the truth than it is to die on our knees. My friends, for Charlie, we must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America, and he is a martyr for the Christian faith. May our heavenly father give us the courage to live as Charlie lived. That is what we must do. For Charlie, you ran a good race, my friend. I love you. We’ve got it from here," Vance said.

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In what was possibly one of the most emotional moments of the event, Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika, took the stage to a huge ovation and delivered a heartfelt speech, beginning by saying: “God bless all of you for coming here from all over the world to honor and celebrate my Charlie. Eleven days ago God accepted that total surrender from my husband and then called him to his side.”

Erika Kirk also shared a message about the importance of family and the role of husband and wife as its fundamental pillars. “To all the men watching around the world: accept Charlie’s challenge and embrace true manhood… Love your wives and lead them. Love your children and protect them. Be the spiritual head of your home but please be a leader worth following,” she said.

She went on to add in her message: “Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals. You are one flesh, working together for the glory of God… Women, I have a challenge for you too: be virtuous. Our strength is found in God’s design for our role. We are the guardians. We are the encouragers. We are the preservers. Guard your heart. Everything you do flows from it.”

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After their public spat in early March, the president was seen talking one-on-one with the owner of X.

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The Secretary of Defense was the first cabinet member to speak during the tribute. He defined Kirk as a “warrior for his country, a warrior for Christ.”
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​"He was building a movement and nobody worked harder at it, bringing people to political small truth. I still have this sticker: Big Government Sucks. And he pursued that truth with more vigor than anyone I've ever met. But over time, he realized, like so many of us have, that this is not a political war. It's not even a cultural war. It's a spiritual war," Hegseth added.

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The Director of National Intelligence said that Kirk “lived what our founders envisioned as freedom.”
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​“Charlie lived his life as a warrior for truth and for freedom every single day, choosing to step into the arena, armed with the Constitution, sparring through debate on the battlefield of ideas, fighting for the heart of our democratic republic and the inalienable rights endowed upon every one of us by our creator,” she continued.

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The audience celebrated the president's arrival.

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Carson, who had hosted Donald Trump at the American Cornerstone Institute's annual dinner the night before, remembered Kirk and associated him with the founding principles of the United States.
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“Our nation was founded upon the kind of principles that allowed us to rise from nothing to the pinnacle of the world in record time. That was no accident. That was because of what we believe...that our rights come from our creator, NOT our government,” said the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
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“Get on board of the REVIVAL that is coming,” he declared.

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Mikey McCoy, Kirk's former chief of staff, described him as a “martyr.” “Charlie was not silent. His movement is only beginning. The voices of millions globally have been awakened. Furthering his cause and mission far beyond anyone’s comprehension.”
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McCoy became emotional at the end of his speech, also highlighting his friend's faith: “Charlie, It was the honor of my life to serve you as you serve Jesus and now we will all continue to serve you as we continue to serve Jesus. Thank you so much.I love you Charlie. I can’t wait to see you again.”

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Rob McCoy, spiritual leader of the founder of Turning Point USA, celebrated Kirk's legacy and predicted a bright future for the organization.

“Charlie Kirk did 31 years on this earth. He had more lifetimes in 31 years than all of us have in the entirety of our own,” the pastor told those present.

“I was just telling the Turning Point staff as I walked in here, everyone is worried that Turning Point isn’t going to be successful, and I looked at each and every one of them,” he added.

He also referred to Kirk's faith: “Charlie wanted his Savior to be the guest of honor. Charlie was never afraid because he knew his life was safe in God's hands.”

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Elon Musk was seen at the memorial service. He was caught on camera talking to several members of Congress, including Rick Scott and Matt Gaetz.

The event is being held at State Farm Stadium, located in the city of Glendale. It has a fixed capacity of 63,400 and can be expanded to more than 73,000 for larger events. 

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