United States. 60,000-seat stadium, Trump in attendance: the MAGA galaxy's XXL tribute to Charlie Kirk

The entire Trumpist leadership, starting with President Donald Trump and his Vice President JD Vance , will gather on Sunday for the tribute ceremony for the murdered ultraconservative influencer Charlie Kirk, in a stadium with more than 60,000 seats in Arizona.

Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck on September 10 while moderating a debate on a university campus in Utah, in the west of the country, a tragedy that has revived deep political divisions in America.

His alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, 22, explained his actions to his family by the "hatred" he believed Charlie Kirk conveyed, local authorities revealed. A figure of the MAGA ("Make America Great Again") right-wing movement, Charlie Kirk used his millions of followers on social media and his university speeches to defend Donald Trump and spread his nationalist, Christian, and traditionalist ideas to young people.

Even before the alleged murderer was identified or arrested, the American president, who acknowledged Charlie Kirk's role in his election in November 2024, called him a "martyr for truth and freedom" and criticized the rhetoric of the "radical left."

The US president, his vice-president, who is very close to Charlie Kirk, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and ultra-conservative commentator Tucker Carlson are expected to speak at the tribute, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Paris time on Sunday.

His widow, Erika Kirk, who is taking over as head of his youth organization Turning Point USA, will also address the audience at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, southwest of the city, which has a capacity of 63,000, expandable to more than 73,000.

"We will have two planes full of White House staff, which shows how many people Charlie Kirk has touched at the highest levels of our government," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Saturday.

In Phoenix, hundreds of people marched Saturday in front of the headquarters of Turning Point USA, the youth organization founded by Charlie Kirk, laying flowers, star-spangled banners, and blue, red, and white balloons.

For about 100 meters, the sidewalk was filled with tributes to the 31-year-old influencer, depicted in photos with the slogan "Faith, Family, Freedom." "He was an extraordinary young man, taken from us far too soon," said Patti Peteque, who drove more than 5 hours from Los Angeles to honor his memory.

With a red "Make America Great Again" cap on her head, the 53-year-old retired police officer hopes Donald Trump will deliver a message of unity at Sunday's ceremony. "I just hope that some good comes out of this, that people will be more tolerant and more willing to accept dialogue, debate, and discussion," the Republican voter explains.

But when asked about the suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel 's show after comments accusing the American right of politically exploiting Kirk's death, she retorted: "The left is just getting its comeuppance. Who said anything when we felt censored?"

The White House this week expressed its intention to crack down on what it calls left-wing "domestic terrorism" following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Donald Trump then announced that he would classify the "Antifa" movement, which brings together far-left groups claiming to be anti-fascist, as a "terrorist" organization, without explaining the legal implications of this decision.

The rally was under tight security. Organizers warned participants that they would not be allowed to enter with bags. They asked them to come dressed in one of the three colors of the American flag: red, white, or blue.

Instead of bringing flowers, they invite them to make a donation to Turning Point USA.