WASHINGTON—Thousands of people came together to remember Charlie Kirk and offer tearful tributes at the John F. Kennedy Center on Sunday.
“I’m a better person for knowing him, and we’re a better country because of him,” Malia Shirley, a longtime friend of Kirk and Turning Points USA official, said during opening remarks.
Approximately 85 members of Congress were in attendance, along with enough members of the public that some were left without seats.
The packed auditorium thundered with applause after the Pledge of Allegiance was read, and the group sang “Amazing Grace” in unison to open the prayer vigil.
Dignitaries and members of President Donald Trump’s administration shared remarks and offered prayers for the conservative commentator who was gunned down by an assassin on Sept. 10.
“It’s as if a dark shadow was cast over our country, and certainly here, even on Capitol Hill, the leaders of the nation have been shaken, as have university students and college students and young people all across the country,” House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.
“It’s as if the ground was shifted beneath us. We all felt it deep, deep inside.”
He told the crowd that Kirk would want his supporters to find strength and perseverance, especially when faced with despair.
“You know, Charlie Kirk recruited and trained and educated a generation of happy warriors,” Johnson said.
“And we do well to be reminded that the best way to honor his memory and honor his unmatched legacy is to live as Charlie did.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted scripture while remembering Kirk’s influence on her political career and the Republican Party.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” she said.
“We cannot allow evil to prevail in our beautiful country. Ee must all commit ourselves to doing good, good for God, good for our families, and good for our nation; in that order, the order that Charlie always spoke about.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., greeted with chants of “USA” and “MAHA,” said Kirk was a “soulmate” who served as the “primary architect” of his presidential campaign’s unification with Trump in 2024.
Kennedy also told a story about a young member of his family who started traveling with a Bible after following Kirk’s example.
“Millions of kids around the country, inspired, who now want to live like Charlie Kirk, and that’s a great thing for our country,” he said.
Many of the speakers were from Kirk’s home state of Arizona.
“What the enemy meant for harm, God will use for good,” Kari Lake, senior advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, said during the ceremony.
She described the world as in a “battle of good and evil,” and pleaded with Americans to put their differences aside and interact peacefully.
“We’ve got to stop this, folks,” Lake said. “We can’t let this go on. This violence has got to stop.”
One leader after another reminisced on Kirk’s faith and his commitment to freedom, free speech, and the nation’s guiding principles.
“From student campuses to the White House, Charlie Kirk has had an influence,” Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Ariz.) said, bringing attention to the young, politically motivated Americans in the crowd.
“We are all Charlie Kirk now.”
Some in attendance wore suits and somber formal attire, while others sported red Make America Great Again hats and shirts in support of President Donald Trump.
The crowd included at least three generations of mourners, and many families were seen consoling one another throughout the proceedings.
One speaker said Kirk’s message and legacy will act like “fertilizer,” nurturing young minds for years to come.
“Charlie Kirk, every single day, carried out his mission, motivated by his faith … and his unwavering dedication to defending our God-given freedoms enshrined in our Constitution and Bill of Rights,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said.
“Because of his commitments and dedication, his impact here and around the world is profound, and it is a beautiful thing to see it playing out now.”
