For Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, “Making America Great Again meant bringing young people to this movement and making sure they knew they belonged,” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said at the 31-year-old’s memorial on Sunday.
Wiles, who rarely speaks publicly and operates as a powerhouse behind the scenes of the Trump administration, spoke to tens of thousands at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, as well as millions watching online, honoring Kirk’s legacy of drawing young people into politics.
Voter registration kiosk outside memorial for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025. (Breitbart News)
“Like our president says, it’s a movement of common sense and it makes sense. Love your God, love your family, love your country, and help the next generation live into those values boldly,” she continued. “Through Turning Point, Charlie gave us countless young Americans who had their first turning point; the moment they decided to stand up, speak out, and make America all that she could be.”
Kirk has been largely credited with using his massive grassroots organization to mobilize the youth vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, with exit polls showing tremendous rightward shift among Gen Z voters. The conservative firebrand and devout follower of Jesus Christ was assassinated at the first stop of his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University on September 10.
Mural and stage at the memorial for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025. (Alana Mastrangelo/Breitbart News)
“When the President’s 2024 campaign partnered with Turning Point, Charlie did not just promise, he delivered. Charlie and his team embraced the assigned mission completely, and they didn’t meet expectations — they shattered them and blew them out of the water,” Wiles recalled. “President Trump’s victory, winning the popular vote in every swing state, was powered by young people, most brand new to politics.”
WATCH — Signs Honoring Charlie Kirk Fill State Farm Stadium:
“That was Charlie’s army, and he made sure they understood the stakes,” she continued. “They outworked, they out-hustled, and outperformed everyone else.”
Wiles added that Kirk didn’t just help, “he made the winning difference.”
“And I believe Charlie is still urging us on; urging us not to sit back, not to be quiet, but to carry on his mission forward, loudly, proudly, and with the same conviction he showed,” she continued. “So, I ask you, let us honor Charlie in the best way possible by continuing his work, by building on the foundation he laid, and by making sure this generation knows that this movement is their home.”
“May God bless Erika and their beautiful children, and may he hold them in the palm of his hands always,” she concluded.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
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