39 | Friday, September 19, 2025Trump officials praise Charlie Kirk's faith, his mark on the conservative movement Print | Front Page | Email this story To:From:Message:From (email):Message:GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — President Donald Trump praised Charlie Kirk as a "great American hero" and "martyr" for freedom as he and other prominent conservatives gathered Sunday evening to honor the slain conservative political activist whose work they say they must now advance. Speakers highlighted Kirk's profound faith and his strong belief that young conservatives need to get married, have children and pass on their values to keep building their movement. Trump, who closed out the service, remarked that Charlie Kirk "did not hate his opponents" and "wanted the best for them," an attribute he found hard to understand. Kirk's legacy of conservative political influenceTurning Point, the group Kirk founded to mobilize young Christian conservatives, became a multimillion-dollar operation under his leadership with enormous reach. Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and former top adviser to Trump, was spotted sitting with Trump for part of the service.