Charlie Kirk memorial to be on par with a state funeral in scale, security

Last edited Sun Sep 21, 2025, 11:12 AM - Edit history (1)

A combination of memorial service and political rally, the event will involve an extraordinary amount of government resources.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/09/21/kirk-memorial-speakers-security-schedule/

https://archive.ph/PjErh


People gather at a memorial for Charlie Kirk outside the headquarters of Turning Point USA, the organization he founded, in Phoenix on Saturday. (Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images)

PHOENIX — With security on the level of a Super Bowl and a speaker lineup on par with a state funeral, conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s service will combine memorial with political rally, requiring an unprecedented level of resources.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and five members of the Cabinet will deliver remarks at the event Sunday. The White House will send two government planes of staff. More than 200,000 people have responded online that they wanted tickets to the event at the 63,000-seat State Farm Stadium, and organizers have prepared overflow seating in a nearby arena even as they are unsure how many will turn out.

Law enforcement agencies have prepared extensive security measures to address the risks of a rare gathering with much of the presidential line of succession present inside an NFL stadium. Five hundred to 800 Secret Service officers have been deployed to the Phoenix area to help secure the event, according a local official briefed on the figure by law enforcement, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss security plans. The Department of Homeland Security has given the memorial its highest security designation, which is typically reserved for Super Bowls.

“This designation is reserved for events of the highest national significance and enables the federal government to provide the full range of law enforcement and security resources necessary to support local officials in ensuring a safe and successful event,” said a DHS senior official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the security plans.

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