Charlie Kirk’s widow forgives husband’s killer, says “hatred cannot be answered with hatred”

Erika Kirk, the 36-year-old widow of slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, said she forgives the man accused of killing him, as she delivered a deeply religious speech at a memorial event Sunday for her deceased husband.

“My husband Charlie, he wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life,” she told the crowd of more than 60,000 attendees, including US President Donald Trump, at a packed stadium in the southwestern state of Arizona.

“That man, that young man. I forgive him,” Kirk said, her voice choking.

“I forgive him because it was what Christ did. And it’s what Charlie would do,” she continued. “The answer to hate is not hate.”

Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on September 10 during a public debate event at a Utah university campus.

The activist used his millions of social media followers, the massive audience of his podcast and appearances at universities to bolster Trump with young voters and fight for a nationalist, Christian-centric political ideology.

Authorities say the suspected shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, justified the attack by citing the “hatred” he accused Kirk of spreading, according to investigators.

Kirk advocated for conservative Christian political values, and often made vitriolic statements targeting minorities, including transgender people, Muslims, African Americans and others.

Robinson faces seven charges for the shooting, including aggravated murder, and prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty in his case.

Trump praises ‘giant’ Kirk

US President Donald Trump on Sunday called slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk “a giant of his generation” at a massive memorial event marked by strong Christian rhetoric and praise for the man many speakers referred to as a “martyr.”

The 79-year-old Republican said Kirk was “above all a devoted husband, father, son, Christian and patriot,” adding that he “was violently killed because he spoke for freedom and justice. For God and country. For reason and for common sense.”

The service drew an extraordinary level of attention and security, with the top brass of Trump’s administration joining tens of thousands in attendance, and some US media likening it to a state funeral.

Ahead of Trump’s address, the crowd heard speeches from prominent cabinet members including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“You thought you could kill Charlie Kirk? You have made him immortal,” top Trump advisor Stephen Miller said, vowing “to save this civilization, to save the West.”

Among other speakers were right-wing media personality Tucker Carlson, Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

The event was being hosted by Turning Point USA, the hugely influential youth political campaign group founded by Kirk that is now run by his widow, Erika Kirk, who also spoke at the memorial.

“That young man, I forgive him,” Kirk said of her husband’s alleged murderer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a gesture that drew uproarious applause from the crowd.

State authorities have charged Robinson with murder and are pursuing the death penalty in the case against him.

At the event, Trump was seen sitting beside billionaire backer Elon Musk, whose acrimonious departure from the White House after his brief tenure overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was not apparent as the two men chatted.