Charlie Kirk’s service in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday took an unexpected turn from the somber, contemplative tone that funerals are usually meant to have. After Donald Trump switched his eulogy into, well, a Trump rally with more grievances, hundreds of angry mourners made their way out of what initially began as a jam-packed memorial service for the late 31-year-old conservative activist.
Held at the 63,400-seat State Farm Stadium, the funeral felt less of a private farewell and more of a mega-church service. As planned, the morning started with tributes from Kirk’s widow, conservative allies, and religious leaders who presented the founder of Turning Point USA as a tireless advocate for his cause. Fans had lined up outside the stadium hours before daybreak to secure a seat.
However, when the president took the podium, the mood changed, per The Mirror US. Donald Trump started by expressing his sympathies to Kirk’s family and describing him as a “patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate” and someone who “inspired millions.” However, the gloomy tone was short-lived. His rhetoric soon veered into the murky waters of the campaign trail.
He pulled out his familiar lines about ex-President Joe Biden, riffed on his rivals, and mused about sending federal law enforcement into additional blue cities. By the twenty-minute mark, attendees were already beginning to leave.
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As the forty-minute speech continued, entire sections of the stadium began to thin out. Videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) showed funeral attendees walking out in rows, some shaking their heads as they went. The sudden departure was hard to miss for a funeral that began with thousands of people waiting outside in the cold early morning.
People watching were aware of the irony. Despite the fact that Trump was speaking at the funeral of one of his closest conservative allies, his words tilted more toward bitter politics than personal memory. Many saw it as more of a soft launch for another campaign rally, without the outdoor merch booths, than a funeral service. But Charlie Kirk’s legacy went on to cast a shadow over the day.
🔥🔥Charlie Kirk’s Memorial JUST MADE AMERICAN HISTORY WITH OVER 300K+ ATTENDING
That is 0.0086% of the 347 Million U.S. Population
JFK 1963 Funeral was 100K or 0.053% of the 189 Million U.S. Population
MLK JR. 1968 was 150K or 0.075% of the 200 Million Population… pic.twitter.com/tMS2NQLsrA— Johnny St.Pete (@JohnMcCloy) September 21, 2025
As the founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk basically built mass support for Donald Trump and their collective cause by creating one of the most influential conservative youth organizations in the United States. His sudden death by gunshot had upended Conservative circles on September 10, when he passed away during a public debate with Utah Valley University students.
The main objective of Sunday’s service was to bring attention to the effect it had.
Kirk’s widow, Christian leaders, and members of the Donald Trump coalition paid tribute to him, discussing his faith and tenacity. However, Trump’s lapse took center stage in the news, obscuring the seriousness that many attendees had come for.
🚨BREAKING: Trump answers “how he’s holding up” after losing his friend Charlie Kirk:
TRUMP: “I think very good. By the way, right there you see all the trucks. They just started construction of the new ballroom for the WH”
Zero heart. Zero sympathy.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) September 12, 2025
Whether the mass walkouts were a deliberate protest or simply speech fatigue, it was clear that not everyone had an appetite for Trump’s digressions, even at the funeral of a loyal ally.
