Amid prayers and calls for action, thousands gathered in Washington to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk

The conservative movement rallied on Sunday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old activist and founder of Turning Point USA who was recently killed during a college event in Utah. Trump administration officials, Republican lawmakers and leaders of the conservative movement accompanied the vigil, which was attended by thousands.

The event, organized by Arizona state Sen. Jake Hoffman, brought together about 85 congressmen, White House officials and other political allies. The ceremony began with Christian music and prayers, as the crowd - many wearing "Make America Great Again" caps and T-shirts - joined in chants and shows of support.

A massive send-off

The magnitude of the event was reflected early on. A line of attendees stretched to the entrance of the emblematic capital theater, guarded by police vehicles. In his speech, Hoffman stressed that the vigil was possible thanks to the "overwhelming outpouring of support" of Kirk's supporters, which drew standing ovations from those present.

House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed the crowd, stressing that Kirk had contributed more to the "free marketplace of ideas" than any other figure in decades. "The best way to honor his memory and to honor his unmatched legacy is to live as Charlie did," he said amid cheers and chants of "USA."

Recognition from the White House

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Kirk as a key player in the youth mobilization around Donald Trump. She recalled that Turning Point USA was founded in a garage and eventually evolved into a movement that transformed the political orientation of thousands of young people.

"[It is] the heroic efforts of Charlie Kirk, who turned the political tide among young people in this country and helped usher in President Trump's historic victory," she noted. In his view, Turning Point represents "the true essence of the American dream and the MAGA movement."

Kennedy, Biggs and Lake: Messages of strength

One of the most intense moments came with the intervention of Robert Kennedy Jr, current secretary of Health and Human Services, who was greeted with cheers and chants. He recalled conversations with Kirk about the risks of standing up to powerful interests and quoted his words about defending constitutional rights, even at the cost of life.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) called for transforming grief into political action: "It is incumbent upon us to take the healing balm of Gilead and march forward on the mission to save this nation and in turn, save the world."

For her part, Kari Lake called on America's mothers to reject violence and protect their children from what she called "indoctrination camps" on college campuses. "This violence has got to stop," she said.