Donald Trump Calls Charlie Kirk 'Unbelievable' As He Prepares To Speak At Memorial

The shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk has rocked the conservative world, and now Donald Trump is weighing in with a fiery, emotional tribute. The president, speaking just one night before Kirk’s massive memorial service in Arizona, praised the Turning Point USA founder as “a great man” and admitted the loss has left his movement “devastated.” Trump didn’t hold back as he reflected on Kirk’s persistence, influence, and ability to rally an “army” of young conservatives. He also confirmed he’ll attend the Arizona memorial on Sunday, where thousands are expected to gather inside State Farm Stadium to honor Charlie Kirk, whose life was cut short by violence.

Trump took the stage at the American Cornerstone Institute Founder’s Dinner on Saturday night and made it clear that Kirk’s death hit him hard. “Tomorrow we’re honoring a great man, Charlie Kirk,” Trump told the audience, per CNN. “We’re honoring somebody that’s been with us right from the beginning. He had an army, and he loved what we were doing so much.”

The president then shared a behind-the-scenes story about Kirk’s relentless hustle, saying he was constantly pushing him to show up at TPUSA events, even with barely any notice. “He’d say, ‘President, could you come tomorrow and make a speech?’ I said, ‘Charlie, I’m president, you’ve got to give me a little notice,'" Trump expressed. "He said, ‘Well, would it be possible, they’d love to see you?’ Usually I tried to do it too. He was unbelievable.”

Trump went on to call Kirk “unbelievable” and stressed just how deeply his supporters are feeling the loss. “He had just an army of young people," the 79-year-old said. "They loved him so much. I mean, they’re devastated right now. Everybody is devastated.”

The president then confirmed he’ll attend Kirk’s memorial in Glendale … but admitted even he can’t find the words to explain the tragedy. “There are no words to really describe what happened,” Trump said. “It should never have happened to him.”

Hauntingly, Kirk had just wrapped up what would become his final interview hours before the shooting. On the morning of September 10, he took the stage at the Restaurantology Summit in Salt Lake City to talk entrepreneurship, leadership, and the growth of Turning Point USA.

Moderator Andrew K. Smith, managing partner of Savory Fund, said Kirk was “full of life” and in high spirits. “He walked off stage and said, ‘How did I do?’ I said, ‘Charlie, that was great.’ Within the hour, he was gone. We were in shock.”

Smith admitted there was initial pushback about having Kirk at the event but said the 35-minute conversation changed minds in the room. “I got a swarm of texts from people saying, ‘I didn’t know that about him, I didn’t know he was an entrepreneur like me,'" Smith said. "It actually changed their opinion of him entirely.”

During that last sit-down, Kirk shared how he built TPUSA into a conservative powerhouse with over 1,000 employees and more than $140 million in combined revenue. “I love building teams,” he said. “I know my skill set, managing day-to-day is not one of them. But vision, putting forward exactly how we’re going to get there, and being that life force, that’s what I do.”

He also opened up about his faith and values, saying no free society can survive without God at its center. He listed his priorities as “God, wife, kids, and network” and said he wanted to be remembered for one thing. “Courage is the ultimate virtue," he said. "Without it, there are no other virtues.”

Smith called the exchange unforgettable. “You really felt the spirit he carried as a human, the optimism," Smith recalled. "That conversation will be something I remember for the rest of my life.”

Kirk’s memorial will take place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, featuring speeches from Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Erika Kirk. Meanwhile, Utah Valley University, where the shooting happened, has already hosted a “Vigil for Unity” in Kirk’s honor.

As for the investigation … prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm. They say Robinson deliberately targeted Kirk over his political beliefs and confirmed they plan to seek the death penalty.

Charlie Kirk’s shocking death left behind a grieving wife, two young children, and a movement still reeling. With Trump and other top leaders gathering in Arizona, Sunday’s memorial is set to be both a tribute and a rallying cry to remember a man many in the conservative world say was irreplaceable.