Sun, 21 Sep 2025 03:10:38 -0400
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Turning Point USA released guidelines Saturday night for those attending Charlie Kirk's memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Sunday, including a patriotic dress code and a strict no-bag policy.
The organization has asked that all memorial attendees wear their "Sunday Best" in the preferred color scheme of red, white or blue.
Parking at the stadium will be free, but limited, so carpooling is recommended by TPUSA if able.
A strict no-bag policy will be in effect on Sunday, TPUSA said. Guests who show up with bags, even the clear bags typically allowed at the stadium, will not be allowed to enter the memorial.
"You will be required to return the bag to your vehicle and rejoin the line from the end," the organization said.
Doors to the service will open at 8 a.m. local time and seats at the memorial will be "first come, first served" and based on stadium capacity. There will be indoor overflow available at Desert Diamond Arena next door, according to TPUSA.
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The organization said patience and understanding will be appreciated on Sunday as wait times may be long due to "enhanced security measures."
TPUSA also asked that flowers and other material items not be brought to the stadium, and instead, delivered to their headquarters on East Beverly Road in Phoenix. In lieu of flowers. donations to TPUSA are welcomed.
Kirk, who founded the organization in 2012, was assassinated on Sept. 10 while hosting a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University.
Sun, 21 Sep 2025 06:26:18 -0400
Click here to follow Charlie Kirk's memorial service today in Glendale, Arizona.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:11:49 -0400
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President Donald Trump spoke candidly about the late Charlie Kirk during remarks at the American Cornerstone Institute Founder’s Dinner on Saturday night, calling him “a great man” and a central part of his political movement.
“Tomorrow we’re honoring a great man, Charlie Kirk,” Trump told the audience. “We’re honoring somebody that’s been with us right from the beginning. He had an army, and he loved what we were doing so much.”
Trump recalled Kirk’s energy and persistence, recounting how the Turning Point USA founder would press him to make appearances even on short notice. “He’d say, ‘President, could you come tomorrow and make a speech?’ I said, ‘Charlie, I’m president, you’ve got to give me a little notice.’ He said, ‘Well, would it be possible, they’d love to see you?’ Usually I tried to do it too. He was unbelievable.”
The president described Kirk’s influence on young conservatives and the deep sense of loss among his supporters. “He had just an army of young people. They loved him so much. I mean, they’re devastated right now. Everybody is devastated.”
Trump said he would attend Sunday’s memorial in Arizona to honor Kirk, though he admitted “there are no words to really describe what happened. It should never have happened to him.”
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 21:20:34 -0400
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Just hours before he was assassinated on Sept. 10, Charlie Kirk sat on stage at the Restaurantology Summit in Salt Lake City for what would become his final interview.
The conversation, led by Andrew K. Smith, managing partner of Savory Fund, was meant to be a discussion about entrepreneurship, leadership and the growth of Turning Point USA. It turned into Kirk’s last recorded reflections on his work, family and his philosophy of life.
“He was full of life, he was optimistic,” Smith recalled on "Fox & Friends Weekend."“He walked off stage and said, ‘How did I do?’ He wanted to know he did a good job. And I said, ‘Charlie, that was great.’ Within the hour, he was gone. We were in shock.”
Smith said there had initially been “kickback” from some in the restaurant industry about inviting Kirk, but the event turned hearts. “After that 35-minute conversation, I got a swarm of texts from people saying, ‘I didn’t know that about him, I didn’t know he was an entrepreneur like me.’ It actually changed their opinion of him entirely.”
During the interview, Kirk shared insights into the entrepreneurial grit needed to build organizations and his devotion to his family. He described Turning Point USA’s growth into a movement employing over 1,000 people and generating more than $140 million in combined revenue.
“I love building teams,” he said. “I know my skill set, managing day-to-day is not one of them. But vision, putting forward exactly how we’re going to get there, and being that life force, that’s what I do.”
Kirk also spoke candidly about his faith, insisting that no free society can survive without virtue, and that virtue requires grounding in God. He described his top priorities as “God, wife, kids, and network,” and stressed he wanted to be remembered for courage. “Courage is the ultimate virtue,” Kirk said. “Without it, there are no other virtues.”
For Smith, the final exchange was haunting. He asked Kirk to share a favorite quote that he lived by. “It will blow your mind,” Smith said. “You really felt the spirit he carried as a human, the optimism. That conversation will be something I remember for the rest of my life.”
Kirk left the stage at 11:23 a.m. He was shot less than an hour later.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 21:12:33 -0400
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Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said Saturday that even in death, Charlie Kirk may have saved lives. In a post on X, Kolvet addressed online discussion about the lack of an exit wound after Kirk was shot on Sept. 10. He said he spoke directly with the surgeon who worked on Kirk at the hospital.
According to Kolvet, the surgeon explained that the round “absolutely should have gone through, which is very very normal for a high powered, high velocity round. I’ve seen wounds from this caliber many times and they always just go through everything. This would have taken a moose or two down, an elk, etc.”
But in this case, the bullet stopped. “It was an absolute miracle that someone else didn’t get killed,” the surgeon reportedly told Kolvet, noting that dozens of staff, students, and special guests had been standing behind Kirk inside the tent at Utah Valley University.
Kolvet said the doctor described Kirk’s bone as “so healthy” and “so impressive that he’s like the man of steel.” The bullet was eventually found lodged just beneath the skin.
“Even in death, Charlie managed to save the lives of those around him,” Kolvet wrote. “Remarkable. Miraculous.”
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 21:07:53 -0400
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on Kayleigh McEnany's premiere episode of Fox News' "Saturday in America" and confirmed "two planes full" of Trump administration staff will attend Charlie Kirk's memorial in Arizona on Sunday.
Describing Charlie as "an amazing man," Leavitt shared how the White House plans to honor his legacy at his memorial.
"I know so many, the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House. We have Cabinet secretaries who will be speaking at his memorial service tomorrow in Arizona," Leavitt said. "We're actually taking two planes full of White House staff. That just speaks to how many people he touched at the highest levels of our government. And he will surely be honored and remembered [Sunday].
"He was not only an influential political commentator, but he was a great, a man of great faith, of deep faith," Leavitt reflected. "And, you know, before I take the podium, I always pray to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I will continue to do that. And I will Continue to think about Charlie and how he so boldly spoke the truth and courageously spoke about his faith."
The event will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, where officials expect massive crowds and tight security.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:58:47 -0400
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Outside Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, hundreds have been gathering daily to mourn Charlie Kirk in the days leading up to his memorial service. Daily Wire contributor Isabel Brown documented the tributes via X.
The vigil has grown into a sprawling shrine of flowers, prayer candles, flags, handwritten notes, and deeply personal tributes left by those grieving the 31-year-old conservative leader.
Among the gifts, visitors have left Starbucks cups marked "Charlie Kirk" with his favorite drink order, a Mint Majesty tea with two honey packets, in what one mourner called a way to ensure "we don't lose our voice."
Most notably, a carton of blueberries was placed in honor of Kirk's young daughter, GG, referencing her mother Erika's remarks saying her father was on a "work trip with Jesus" to afford her blueberry budget.
Isabel Brown described the atmosphere as overwhelming. "It feels a lot more real when you see the handwritten notes, prayer candles, and gathering of people crying and praying about Charlie's life and legacy," she posted.
Last night, worshippers gathered at the foot of a cross outside the headquarters to sing quietly together. "Lord I Need You" carried through the crowd as supporters pledged to carry on Kirk's mission.
"Charlie, you may not have gone to West Point. But you are one of the most courageous soldiers. You saved more Americans than you will ever know! God bless you," one handwritten tribute on an American flag read. Another declared: "St. Charlie Kirk, patron Saint of the United States of America."
Others wrote messages of defiance. "A fire has been lit. The lions den has been shaken. Sleeping lions are being awakened," one letter read. "Charlie's voice has not been silenced, it has been amplified. We will never forget and we will never be silenced."
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:15:05 -0400
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Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said Saturday that an armed man detained at State Farm Stadium ahead of Charlie Kirk’s public memorial was conducting advance security for a guest, not attempting anything “nefarious.”
Kolvet explained on X that the man had not coordinated with TPUSA’s security team or the Secret Service, and that the incident happened before the venue was fully sealed and locked down. “Every precaution is being taken to ensure everyone’s safety,” he said.
Arizona officials confirmed the man, identified as Joshua Runkles, was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer, a felony, and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place, a misdemeanor.
He was booked into Maricopa County Jail and later released on bond. Authorities said an investigation is ongoing into his intent at the stadium.
The NFL venue in Glendale, Arizona, will host Sunday’s memorial for Kirk, where President Trump and Vice President JD Vance are scheduled to speak.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 19:06:35 -0400
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Authorities are preparing for protests and possible disruptions as tens of thousands are expected to gather Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the public memorial of Charlie Kirk.
The 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder was assassinated earlier this month while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Fox News correspondent Jeff Paul reported that crowds at TPUSA’s Phoenix headquarters have been growing for days, with supporters leaving flowers and messages. Many are traveling from across the country to attend the memorial, where President Trump and Vice President JD Vance are slated to speak.
While security is expected to be heavy, Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet appealed for the event to remain peaceful. “Don’t be a fool. And also, you’re going to be outnumbered. We want this to be a celebration of Charlie’s life. Respect our friend. Respect what he meant to us,” Kolvet said.
Kolvet added that overflow space will be available at nearby Desert Diamond Arena for those unable to enter the stadium.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 16:53:48 -0400
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FOX News Media will present extensive, multiplatform live programming surrounding the public memorial service of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Sunday.
Fox News Digital will provide comprehensive online coverage of the memorial service in Glendale, Ariz., with live reports featuring interviews, local perspectives, live blogging and digital updates. These offerings will be available through FoxNews.com and the Fox News mobile app.
The site will also feature integrated opinion and commentary from Fox News Channel contributors and analysts covering the service for the assassinated conservative leader.
The memorial service, entitled "Remembering Charlie Kirk," will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., and begin at 2 p.m. EST, 11 a.m. local time.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to be in attendance for the memorial, including President Donald Trump, who will be delivering remarks at the service.
Other speakers for Sunday's service include Erika Kirk, Vice President JD Vance, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Donald Trump Jr.
Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 during a campus event at Utah Valley University.
The conservative powerhouse was struck in the neck as he addressed a crowd under a white pop-up tent. He was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead shortly after.
Kirk was 31 years old and is survived by his wife Erika and their two young children. Suspect Tyler Robinson was arrested and charged with his murder last week.
Fox News Channel will begin coverage of the memorial service with a special edition of "Fox & Friends Weekend" airing from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET, featuring Rachel Campos-Duffy, Charlie Hurt and Griff Jenkins hosting live outside State Farm Stadium.
At 10 a.m. ET, Maria Bartiromo will anchor "Sunday Morning Futures" live outside the arena where the memorial service will be held."Saturday in America" host Kayleigh McEnany and "Fox & Friends" co-host Lawrence Jones will be presenting live coverage of the memorial proceedings starting at 2 p.m. ET.
McEnany and Jones will be joined by Fox News' senior White House correspondent and co-anchor of "The Sunday Briefing," Jacqui Heinrich, who will be reporting live from inside State Farm Stadium.
Additionally, Fox News Audio will be presenting live longform coverage of the memorial service to hundreds of Fox News Radio stations nationwide. The coverage will also be available for streaming via FoxNewsRadio.com and through the FOX News mobile app.
This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Marc Tamasco.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 16:39:23 -0400
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Conservative activist Scott Presler said Saturday he is traveling to help register voters during the memorial events for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
“On the way. I will help register to vote as many of the attendees tomorrow as humanly possible,” Presler wrote on X. “Thank you, @tylerbowyer, for the opportunity. Let’s get thousands of new voters registered. For Charlie.”
Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point USA, amplified the effort, suggesting the scale could be far larger. “Tens of thousands. We have over 500 volunteers and 150 full time staff helping. WE GOT THIS,” he commented under Presler's post.
The coordinated push comes as political allies of Kirk, who was assassinated at age 31 while speaking at Utah Valley University, frame voter registration as part of his legacy.
Kirk frequently argued that civic engagement was central to preserving freedom and advancing conservative causes. His organization, Turning Point USA, has long prioritized campus activism and voter outreach.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 16:19:28 -0400
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Hillsdale College on Saturday released a video remembering Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last week at the age of 31.
The tribute featured footage of Kirk speaking on faith, philosophy, and the principles of the American founding.
“Aristotle wrote that all men seek to know and I find that when I go to these college campuses that students deep down they want to know,” Kirk said in the clip. “It’s time that we teach them something. We must steep our children in wisdom. How do you do that? You read the great books. You study Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Augustine.”
He spoke of his gratitude for the United States’ founding principles, calling religious liberty “unlike anything else” and “divinely inspired.”
“You cannot have a free society if you do not have a society that values God,” Kirk said, before emphasizing his own priorities: “My kids are my most important thing in my world. My wife and my kids in our relationship to God, top three things, right? God, wife, kids.”
Kirk concluded by reflecting on legacy. “Courage is the ultimate virtue,” he said. “Without it, there are no other virtues. Courage in committing yourself to the correct course of action, regardless of the cost associated to it. I want to be remembered for courage, for my faith.”
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 16:52:45 -0400
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Turning Point USA COO Tyler Bowyer said Saturday that the memorial for Charlie Kirk will mark a historic first.
“This is the first documented time in modern history that the sitting President & Vice President will honor any citizen by attending a memorial together outside of a former President,” Bowyer wrote on X. “As such, it will be the first time that both will speak at one. Thank you @POTUS @VP! For CK.”
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are scheduled to attend and deliver remarks on Sunday at Kirk's memorial in Arizona.
Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. His death has sparked tributes across the political spectrum, along with vigils and calls for unity.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 15:19:38 -0400
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Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman Saturday asked the public to give space for grief ahead of Charlie Kirk’s funeral: “Tomorrow, Charlie Kirk will be laid to rest. Let people grieve and give them the space.”
The message shared on X has been viewed over 1.4 million times. Fetterman's post comes as many fellow Democrats have condemned Kirk's life and legacy in the wake of his assassination.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, will be honored after his death at Utah Valley University last week on Sunday in Arizona.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 14:39:10 -0400
Joshua Runkles was identified Saturday by the Arizona Department of Public Safety as the armed individual whom the Secret Service arrested at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, ahead of Charlie Kirk's memorial service.
Runkles was taken into custody on Friday.
He was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer -- a felony -- and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place, which is a misdemeanor.
Fox News' Jeff Paul contributed to this report.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 14:02:26 -0400
Elon Musk resurfaced former Vice President and former Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' years-old call for President Donald Trump's ban from social media as she claims "free speech" concerns over Jimmy Kimmel being pulled off the air.
Harris has weighed in on Disney’s decision to pull ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" off the air "indefinitely," defending Kimmel and slamming what she calls an "outright abuse of power" by the Trump administration.
"What we are witnessing is an outright abuse of power. This administration is attacking critics and using fear as a weapon to silence anyone who would speak out. Media corporations — from television networks to newspapers — are capitulating to these threats," Harris wrote on X about Kimmel’s suspension. "We cannot dare to be silent or complacent in the face of this frontal assault on free speech. We, the people, deserve better."
Many X users, including Musk, the platform’s owner, were quick to point out Harris’ own past statements, some suggested they appeared to support censorship.
Musk resurfaced a 2019 tweet by Harris when Trump was serving his first time. Harris, a U.S. senator representing California at the time, was running for vice president when she made the post on X, now Twitter.
"Look let's be honest, @realDonaldTrump's Twitter account should be suspended," Harris wrote on Sept. 30, 2019.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 15:10:22 -0400
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Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., the Democratic nominee for governor, doubled down Saturday on criticisms of Charlie Kirk after voting in favor of a House resolution honoring him.
The House adopted a resolution to honor Kirk's "life and legacy" Friday, just over a week after he was shot and killed during a college campus speaking event in Utah.
Sherrill then said, “Charlie Kirk was advocating for a Christian nationalist government and to roll back the rights of women and Black people.”
“This flies in the face of every value I hold dear and that I fight for," she added. "But the Constitution protects free speech, even for those I vehemently oppose."
At a campaign event Saturday, Sherill said she “voted because I believe that nobody should be assassinated for speaking out.”
“But, I also had the audacity to say that I disagree with attacking the Civil Rights Act. I disagree with rolling back the rights that women have fought for, over the years. I disagree with trying to erase the history of Black people in this country, of women in this country. And because of that, I’m getting attacked, because evidently, according to some people, the First Amendment only applies when you agree with Donald Trump,” she also said. “It only applies when you are saying what he wants to hear. It doesn’t apply to Jimmy Kimmel, I guess. It doesn’t apply to other people who want to speak out about concerns they have. Well not on my watch.”
Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 12:42:51 -0400
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Conservative media watchdog Media Research Center called the New Yorker magazine a “cesspool of mediocre writers” after it published a column this week titled, "Charlie Kirk and Tyler Robinson Came from the Same Warped Online Worlds."
“The New Yorker magazine used to be a showcase for great writers. That was many years ago. More recently it has become a cesspool of mediocre writers striving with great urgency to promote their leftist agendas,” the MRC’s P.J. Gladnick wrote. “And the latest such example of a New Yorker writer crawling deep into the sewer came on Wednesday with this smear masquerading as a story by Kyle Chayka.”
The New Yorker column says, “According to an interview that Robinson’s grandmother gave to the Daily Mail, he grew up in a conservative family that staunchly supported Trump. He attended just one semester of college before dropping out. He was registered to vote in Utah but was unaffiliated with a party and did not vote in the 2024 Presidential election. Instead, he seems to have spent time in the corners of the internet where young men can become radicalized toward violence.”
It later adds, “No matter what political ideas Robinson may have harbored, he might ultimately be best understood as a participant in that warped online culture.”
The New Yorker article then says Kirk “leveraged a version of the same toxic online dynamics and algorithmic-attention sinkholes that can ensnare people like Robinson.”
“He created a universe of content that his adherents could live within, complete with its own ideological memes. The kind of free speech and lively discourse that Kirk espoused involved spreading hateful conspiracy theories and misinformation,” Chayka wrote.
Gladnick argued, “Ostensibly comparing Charlie Kirk with his assassin appears to have just been a cover for Chayka's true motive: to lash out at Kirk.”
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 11:46:00 -0400
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"Real Time" host Bill Maher called out Hollywood liberals Friday for not acknowledging the Sept. 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk at the Emmys.
"The left does have this bad attitude of go no contact," Maher said during a panel discussion. "I mean, at the Emmys, would it have killed someone to get up there, since they all want to talk about their politics, would it kill somebody to get up there- not give a speech about how much they liked Charlie Kirk, just to say, 'We had a political assassination this week. And that's wrong.' They would have been booed off the stage because he was on the wrong team. So you're not even allowed to say that."
"Could you imagine if a left-wing person was assassinated that week? The whole show would have been about that," Maher added.
Sunday's 77th Primetime Emmy Awards made no reference to the horrific murder of the Turning Point USA co-founder, which occurred just days before television's big night. Emmy host Nate Bargatze previously said he planned to avoid political topics during his stint.
"I know there's heartbreaking stuff that's been happening right now, but I want this night to be an escape, and I think that's why I was brought on," he told Entertainment Weekly on Thursday.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 15:22:39 -0400
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The man detained Friday by the Secret Service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, was armed with a gun and knife and was inside the facility, The Washington Post reported, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the matter.
Charlie Kirk’s memorial service is scheduled to be held at the stadium on Sunday and is undergoing security preparations.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News Digital on Saturday that the man was detained "in the stadium, but it was prior to the setup of any secure perimeter."
The individual said to Secret Service agents that he was at the site to provide private security and presented "inactive law enforcement credentials," the unnamed official added to the Post.
"The U.S. Secret Service in coordination with local law enforcement in Glendale, Arizona, is investigating an individual who was observed exhibiting suspicious behavior at State Farm Stadium," Guglielmi said.
"The individual was approached by Secret Service and stated during the encounter that he was a member of law enforcement and that he was armed. The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody," Guglielmi added.
Fox News' Matt Finn contributed to this report.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:39:12 -0400
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Musical artists Lee Greenwood and Steve Amerson have been added to the list of performances expected Sunday at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Arizona.
The full list of speakers at Charlie Kirk’s memorial are his widow Erika Kirk, President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, White House advisor Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor.
Top Christian worship singers Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes also are set to perform Sunday.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:35:48 -0400
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Saturday that former President Barack Obama has “no clue what he is talking about” regarding a claim he made in the wake of Jimmy Kimmel’s cancellation.
“After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like,” Obama wrote on X on Thursday after Kimmel’s show was shelved by ABC.
Kimmel's show was pulled over his comments about alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson.
"With all due respect to former President Obama, he has no idea what he is talking about. The decision to fire Jimmy Kimmel and to cancel his show came from executives at ABC. That has now been reported,” Leavitt said.
“And I can assure you it did not come from the White House and there was no pressure given from the president of the United States. How do I know that? Because I was with the president of the United States when this news broke in the United Kingdom. We were enjoying the beautiful and spectacular state visit that was put forth by the Royal Family and the prime minister of the U.K., Keir Starmer,” Leavitt continued.
“And I actually brought this news to President Trump's attention, he had no idea this was happening. It was a decision that was made by ABC because Jimmy Kimmel chose to knowingly lie to his audience on his program about the death of a highly-respected man when our country is in a state of mourning. That was a decision that he made and he is now facing a consequence for that decision and for that lie,” Leavitt also said, noting, "Jimmy Kimmel's ratings are in the gutter and this was probably also a business decision on behalf of ABC."
Fox News Digital's Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 09:55:22 -0400
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In the aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination, a debate about political rhetoric and its impact on recent spates of political violence has taken hold on Capitol Hill and across the country.
While both Republicans and Democrats have condemned political violence of all kinds, their views vary on how much inflammatory political rhetoric plays a role. Some Republicans have accused the left's rhetoric of fostering an "assassination culture" on the left, while Democrats have accused Republicans of attacks on free speech.
One member of Congress, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attempted to steer the conversation towards gun control as opposed to rhetoric as the cause for the increase in political violence.
"This isn't just about what happened to Charlie Kirk. At the same time his tragic killing was happening, three kids were getting shot in school, and that was one or two weeks after another couple of kids were getting shot, in church, at mass, at a Catholic school," Ocasio-Cortez said.
But GOP firebrand Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., did not mince words about those who continue to foment hatred for conservatives with inflammatory rhetoric.
"We need to shame these people out of polite society, shame them out of existence. They need to be fired from their jobs. They are putting lives in danger," Mace said. "They are denying that they're celebrating the political assassination and murder of Charlie Kirk, but they're liars. They're lying through their teeth."
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have called on others to "turn down the heat" in the wake of Kirk's assassination.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 09:08:43 -0400
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As security preparations intensify for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Arizona, a former NYPD detective and security consultant warns mourners to remain alert.
"Pull your face out of your phone, put it in your pocket. Pay attention," Pat Brosnan urged.
The memorial, set for this weekend at State Farm Stadium, is expected to draw an enormous crowd. Officials estimate that more than 100,000 people may gather in and around the venue, including attendees inside the 63,000-seat stadium and overflow areas outside.
"From the moment you arrive… have your eyes wide open… who's to your right, who's to your left, who's behind you? What are they doing?" Brosnan told Fox News Digital. "Eyes in the backs and the sides of your head."
According to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News, authorities are "tracking several threats of unknown credibility."
"Violent extremists and unaffiliated lone offenders may view the memorial service or related events as attractive attack targets due to the attendance of these individuals, other senior U.S. government officials, state and local government officials, and political activists and due to major international media attention," the memo reportedly says.
The Department of Homeland Security has designated Kirk’s memorial service a Level 1 Special Event, the highest possible rating, matching Super Bowl-level security planning.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 08:50:35 -0400
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CNN commentator Van Jones revealed that Charlie Kirk invited him to come onto his show the day before he was assassinated at Utah Valley University.
The outreach came as both Jones and Kirk gave differing opinions in reaction to the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed in the neck on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Aug. 22. The suspect was identified as Decarlos Brown.
“Hey, Van, I mean it, I’d love to have you on my show to have a respectful conversation about crime and race. I would be a gentleman as I know you would be as well. We can disagree about the issues agreeably,” Jones said Kirk wrote to him in a private message on X.
Jones said before he could respond, Kirk was assassinated.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 11:43:44 -0400
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Thousands are showing up coast to coast for memorials and vigils honoring the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people attended a candlelight vigil on Thursday at Soldiers Field in Rochester, Minnesota, according to the Rochester Post Bulletin.
“We’re here to honor Charlie Kirk and all victims taken by cowardly acts of violence, regardless of who they are, what they believe and what they stand for,” Brad Trahan, a Rochester resident and organizer of the event, told the newspaper. “We come together to dedicate ourselves to peace. Charlie’s life symbolized dialogue, peace, faith and that goodwill will always supersede evil.”
The day before, around 200 people gathered for an event on the campus of California State University, Fresno, to pay tribute to Kirk, KFSN reported.
Images also captured mourners attending vigils in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and Newark, Delaware, among other events.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:42:39 -0400
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An armed man who claimed to be connected to law enforcement was detained Friday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, the Secret Service told Fox News Digital.
The NFL stadium will host Charlie Kirk’s memorial service on Sunday, Sept. 21.
"The U.S. Secret Service in coordination with local law enforcement in Glendale, Arizona, is investigating an individual who was observed exhibiting suspicious behavior at State Farm Stadium," Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News Digital on Saturday.
"The individual was approached by Secret Service and stated during the encounter that he was a member of law enforcement and that he was armed. The individual is not a member of authorized law enforcement working the event and is currently in custody," Guglielmi added.
The individual, who has not been publicly identified, actually was armed, Guglielmi confirmed to Fox News Digital.
"The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement are investigating the circumstances as to why he was at the location," he also said.
"This guy is a former deputy sheriff out of Idaho. He came and identified himself with expired credentials. They are going through his background and trying to figure out what he was up to there," a federal source familiar with the investigation told Fox News.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are among the speakers set to honor Kirk on Sunday at the event.
Fox News' Matt Finn contributed to this report.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:54:20 -0400
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An Arizona-based chapter of the progressive group Indivisible is asking its members to stay home Sunday when Charlie Kirk’s memorial service takes place in Glendale.
“We believe strongly in the right to protest and speak out, but we also know there are moments where restraint protects both our community and our democracy,” Brent Peak, co-chair of Northwest Valley Indivisible, said in a statement. “This is one of those moments.”
“We urge our members and the broader community to choose safety and solidarity over confrontation at this event,” Peak added. “Our commitment to democracy and free speech remains strong, but we will not allow ourselves to be used as props in someone else’s attempt to stir violence.”
On its website, Indivisible describes itself as a “movement of thousands of group leaders and more than a million members taking regular, iterative, and increasingly complex actions to resist the GOPs agenda, elect local champions, and fight for progressive policies.”
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:08:18 -0400
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Conservative leaders and commentators are reflecting on the life, legacy, and enduring impact of Charlie Kirk, remembering how the Turning Point USA founder shaped a generation of young conservatives and left a lasting mark on the movement.
Turning Point USA is an organization started by Kirk in 2012 with the mission to "identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government," according to the group's website.
Fox News Digital spoke with conservative voices Rob Smith, Arynne Wexler, Lily Kate and Amir Odom about the impact of Kirk on their lives and on America.
"I owe kind of basically my entire career in the conservative movement and conservative media to Charlie Kirk," said Smith, a political commentator.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:45:48 -0400
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"Real Time" host Bill Maher expressed empathy for fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel as a former ABC star who also landed himself in hot water by making questionable remarks in the wake of a tragedy.
"It was 24 years to the day that I made comments on ABC that got me canceled from that network, and Jimmy Kimmel took my slot," Maher said during his opening monologue, adding "Oh yes, I got canceled before cancel even had a culture."
Before his decades-long stint at HBO, Maher previously hosted "Politically Incorrect" on ABC, which the network canceled in 2002 after Maher faced backlash for arguing that the 9/11 hijackers weren't "cowardly" just days after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
"ABC, they are steady. ABC stands for ‘Always Be Caving," Maher later called out his ex-employer. "So Jimmy, pal, I am with you. I support you. And on the bright side, you don't have to pretend anymore that you like Disneyland."
Kimmel's show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was taken off the air on Wednesday following comments he made in his Monday monologue about Charlie Kirk and his alleged assassin.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 06:32:21 -0400
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Erika Kirk honored late husband Charlie Kirk Friday by posting a heartwarming video of him teaching their daughter some of the basics of physics.
In the video, which had already garnered more than 1.3 million likes by Friday afternoon, the conservative activist sits at a table with their young daughter, playfully explaining Isaac Newton’s three laws of motion using her sippy cup and a pair of sunglasses.
"My favorite memories will forever be us raising our babies together. I love you [Charlie Kirk]," Erica Kirk captioned the video on Instagram. "Tell Sir Isaac Newton that GG is ready for her quiz."
The video shows the Turning Point USA founder walking through Newton's principles that an object at rest stays at rest, every action has an equal and opposite reaction and that force equals mass times acceleration.
"Okay, see that's the issue is you keep on thinking when you drop [your sippy cup], it comes back up, but it doesn't, okay?" Charlie Kirk jokingly explains to his young daughter as she appears to be preparing to drop her cup.
Sat, 20 Sep 2025 06:31:06 -0400
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Police are expecting 100,000 people to attend Charlie Kirk’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium and an overflow arena in Glendale, Ariz., on Sunday, Sept. 21, according to media reports.
State Farm Stadium has fixed seating for 63,400 and can expand to over 73,000 for larger events, according to the venue.
“This event is first come, first served based on stadium capacity. Indoor overflow will be available next door at the Desert Diamond Arena,” a website for the memorial said.
“Please be advised that enhanced security measures are in place, which may result in longer wait times than usual. We appreciate your patience and understanding,” it added.
Glendale police spokesman Jose Santiago told WJZZ, “we are confident that we are doing everything possible to try and ensure that this is as safe an event as possible.”
The Department of Homeland Security also designated the memorial service as a Special Event Assessment Rating Level 1, "reserved for events of the highest national significance" and the same severity as the Super Bowl.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.