State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, became the site of Charlie Kirk’s memorial on Sunday, where tens of thousands listened to War Secretary Pete Hegseth and other leaders reflect on his life and faith.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a speech describing Kirk as “a patriot, a conservative, a leader, a builder, an advocate, an author, a lover of freedom, a husband, a father, a Christian and a warrior.” Hegseth emphasized Kirk’s faith, telling the crowd, “Only Christ is king, our Lord and Savior. Our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus. Fear God and fear no man. That was Charlie Kirk.”
Hegseth recounted Kirk’s founding of Turning Point USA in 2012, crediting his dedication to bringing young people into politics before broadening his focus to matters of faith.“Charlie had big plans, but God had even bigger plans,” he stated.
Hegseth noted that Kirk came to see the nation’s challenges in spiritual terms, telling the crowd, “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, faith and family first, there is a God, and as Charlie would say, it is not us. We’re sinners saved only by grace, in need of the gospel. You see, we always did need less government, but what Charlie understood and infused into his movement is we also needed a lot more God.”
Drawing on the symbolism of Kirk’s last name, Hegseth observed that in German it means “church.” “On this Sunday morning, I’d like to think we’re all in Charlie’s church,” he added. “Charlie started a political movement that grew into a spiritual awakening.”
Hegseth also shared a message he received shortly after Kirk’s death: “My pastor texted me the day after that horrific event and said, Pete, the devil overplayed his hand.”
Hegseth continued, “Charlie started with Liberty, but ended up lighting our country on fire for Christ. He started Turning Point USA, but this moment is the turning point for the USA right now.”
Hegseth invoked imagery of the battlefield, saying Kirk “waged war, not with a weapon, but with a tent, a microphone, his mind and the truth and the gates of hell could not prevail against him.” He went on, “He went into the darkest of places like Paul with the book of Acts, went into college campuses where they said we couldn’t go. And he was the light. He was bold, he was brave. He was a hero. You know, at the War Department, we know a little bit about heroism. I’ve seen it personally on the battlefield, from Americans wearing camouflage, and I’m surrounded by men and women today who had the chance to witness the same. Most people don’t know this, but Charlie Kirk wanted to go to West Point. Never happened. Obviously, his personal loss at that moment was our nation’s great gain.”
He declared, “Charlie Kirk was a citizen who had the biblical heart of a soldier of the faith, who put on every single day the full armor of God with a smile as the Scriptures tell all Christ followers to do.”
Hegseth honored him with the words, “He died the way he lived, speaking the truth.” He remembered Kirk as “a warrior for country, a warrior for Christ” who “ran the race” and “finished the fight,” urging the crowd to “live worthy of Charlie Kirk’s sacrifice and put Christ at the center of your life, as he advocated for giving His.”
Concluding his tribute, Hegseth affirmed, “Charlie has heard the words echoing now in heaven. Well done, good and faithful servant. Charlie, we’ll take it from here. God bless you.”
In the wake of the killing, the Department of War (DOW) confirmed that some service members posted statements online justifying or celebrating Kirk’s death. One Navy petty officer shared a video with 1.5 million TikTok followers, while an Army public affairs official wrote, “if you talk sh*t, you’re gonna get hit.” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell condemned the remarks, writing on X: “It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American. The Department of War has zero tolerance for it.”
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