People are still talking about it. Honestly, the shock hasn't really worn off for a lot of folks in the political world, even months later. When the news broke that Charlie Kirk had been killed on September 10, 2025, it felt like one of those "where were you" moments that just stops the clock. One minute he was doing what he always did—standing behind a microphone at Utah Valley University, debating students, and leaning into the friction—and the next, everything changed.
Because the event was so public and the circumstances so violent, the question of when is Charlie Kirk's funeral became a massive point of national conversation almost immediately. It wasn't just a private family matter; it turned into a massive, stadium-sized event that mirrored the scale of the movement he built.
The State Farm Stadium Farewell
The official memorial service for Charlie Kirk took place on September 21, 2025.
If you were looking for a quiet, somber chapel service, this wasn't it. The venue was State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Yeah, the place where the Cardinals play. It was a choice that made sense given that Turning Point USA (TPUSA) is headquartered in Phoenix, but the sheer scale was something else.
Glendale police estimated that somewhere between 90,000 and 100,000 people showed up. The doors opened at 8:00 a.m. local time, and the formal program didn't even start until 11:00 a.m. People were lined up for hours. There was a strict no-bag policy, and the security was, predictably, through the roof.
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It was a strange mix of a funeral, a political rally, and a church service.
Who Showed Up?
The guest list was a "who's who" of the modern GOP and the MAGA movement.
- Donald Trump: He didn't just attend; he spoke. He had already ordered flags to be flown at half-mast across the country from the day of the shooting until the Sunday of the service.
- JD Vance: The Vice President actually accompanied the casket on Air Force Two from Salt Lake City to Phoenix.
- Erika Kirk: Charlie’s widow was there, obviously, and her speech was probably the most emotional part of the whole day.
- Elon Musk: His presence was a bit of a surprise to some, but it highlighted how much Kirk had moved into the tech-adjacent free speech circles toward the end.
- Marco Rubio: Representing the more established wing of the administration.
A Casket on Air Force Two
One of the more controversial and talked-about details of the whole timeline was how the body was moved. On September 11, just a day after the assassination, Charlie Kirk’s casket was flown to Phoenix on Air Force Two.
It’s not every day a private citizen gets that kind of treatment. It sparked a lot of debate online about the use of federal resources, but for the millions of people who followed Kirk, it was seen as a necessary tribute to a man they viewed as a "digital general" for their cause.
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The arrival in Phoenix was a heavy scene. There was an air traffic controller who actually gave a special tribute over the radio as the plane touched down, which went viral on TikTok and X shortly after.
Why People Are Still Searching for the Date
You might wonder why, in early 2026, people are still asking about the funeral or the burial. Part of it is because of the "Charlie Kirk Act" being proposed in states like Tennessee and Kentucky. Lawmakers are trying to make September 10 or October 14 (his birthday) a day of remembrance.
Every time one of these bills hits the floor, the whole story of his death and the subsequent funeral gets dredged up again.
There is also the lingering mystery of his final resting place. While the public memorial was at the stadium on September 21, the actual private burial was kept under wraps for security reasons. The family wanted a place where they could grieve without the cameras and the "Professor Watchlist" critics.
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The Security Controversy
Candace Owens recently reignited the conversation by questioning the security protocols from that day in Utah. She's been vocal about a "panic meeting" that happened right after the shooting and has basically claimed the security team wasn't prepared for a rooftop threat.
The shooter, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, had surrendered to police shortly after the event. But the "how" and "why" of it all still haunts the TPUSA community.
Actionable Steps for Those Following the Legacy
If you're looking for ways to engage with this ongoing story or the organizations involved, here’s how things are moving forward in 2026:
- Watch the Archived Service: Most of the September 21 memorial was live-streamed and is still available on the TPUSA YouTube channel and Rumble. It’s over three hours long, but if you want to see the speeches from Trump and Erika Kirk, that's where they live.
- Monitor the "Charlie Kirk Act": If you live in Tennessee or Kentucky, keep an eye on your local legislative sessions this year. The bills being proposed go beyond just a "day of remembrance"—they include specific education policies regarding free speech on campuses.
- Check the TPUSA Expansion: Since Kirk’s death, the organization has seen a massive spike in inquiries. They reportedly received over 50,000 requests for new chapters in the weeks following the funeral. If you're a student, the "American Comeback Tour" has been rebranded but is still moving forward under new leadership.
- Posthumous Awards: Kirk was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in October 2025. You can find the full transcript of that ceremony through the White House press archives if you're interested in the official government recognition of his work.
The reality is that while the funeral happened months ago, the "event" of Charlie Kirk isn't over. Between the lawsuits over teachers' social media posts and the new laws being named after him, his name is going to be in the headlines for the rest of 2026 and likely well into the next election cycle.