NEED TO KNOW
- Erika Kirk forgave the person responsible for killing her husband, Charlie Kirk, during a memorial service on Sunday, Sept. 21
- President Donald Trump disagreed with wishing “opponents” well as he took to the podium after Erika to speak about Charlie’s legacy
- “Charlie’s angry, looking down, he’s angry at me now,” Trump, 79, said
Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, is forgiving his murderer just 11 days after he was killed.
On Sunday, Sept. 21, Erika honored Charlie in a speech during a memorial for him at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. She began by quoting one of his favorite bible verses, Isaiah 6:8: “Here I am, Lord. Send me,” before expressing forgiveness to the person who took his life.
Tyler Robinson has been accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University while he was speaking on Wednesday, Sept. 10. The 22-year-old is being held at the Utah County Jail without bail.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” Erika said.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Donald-Trump-Erika-Kirk-092225-92ef9a14a7ed417ab18530c3860bb620.jpg)
“Our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do.’ That young man … I forgive him,” she continued through tears. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it’s what Charlie would do.”
“The answer to hate is not hate,” Erika continued. “The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Erika-Kirk-Charlie-Kirk-092225-a8aa0a17f10844dca20b785768112405.jpg)
Erika’s speech also included mentions of how she and Charlie kept their marriage strong despite his traveling, as well as touching on the honor of her becoming the new Turning Point USA CEO. She and Charlie share two children: a girl born in 2022 and a boy born in 2024.
Moments after Erika’s tribute, President Donald Trump took to the podium to offer his remarks on Charlie’s life and legacy.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(539x0:541x2)/charlie-kirk-5-091025-dd7e571618424d4584386e78caf468f2.jpg)
In a now-viral moment during the service, Trump, 79, offered a different perspective from Erika on the subject of forgiveness.
“Charlie Kirk truly was … he was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose,” Trump said. “He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them.”
“That’s where I disagreed with Charlie,” he continued. “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry, I am sorry, Erika. But now Erika can talk to me and the whole group and maybe they can convince me that’s not right, but I cannot stand my opponent.”
Trump concluded by noting, “Charlie’s angry, looking down, he’s angry at me now.”
