By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
UNITED States President Donald Trump, on Sunday, paid tribute to slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, describing him as “a giant of his generation” during a large-scale memorial service characterised by Christian rhetoric and tributes from speakers who repeatedly referred to him as a “martyr.”
Recall that Kirk, 31, was fatally shot in the neck on 10 September while addressing students at a university in Utah as part of his public debate tour. Following a 33-hour manhunt, authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who has since been charged with murder.
Charlie Kirk’s wife
Speaking at the memorial, Trump said Kirk was “above all a devoted husband, father, son, Christian and patriot,” adding: “He was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice. For God and country. For reason and for common sense.”
The service, held in Arizona, drew tens of thousands of mourners and was accompanied by an unprecedented level of security. Senior figures from Trump’s administration were in attendance, with several US media outlets likening the scale of the occasion to that of a state funeral.
The event was organised by Turning Point USA, the youth political movement Kirk founded, which is now led by his widow, Erika Kirk. Addressing the gathering, she offered a message of forgiveness to her husband’s alleged killer, declaring: “That young man, I forgive him.” Her words were met with thunderous applause.
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