President Trump remembered the conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “martyr” on Sunday in remarks at his memorial in Arizona, but pivoted swiftly to blunt politics by saying that he hated his political opponents and that they “cheated like dogs.”
Striking a far different tone from that of Mr. Kirk’s widow, Erika, who spoke immediately before him, Mr. Trump said he disagreed with the view of wanting the best for one’s opponent.
“I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them,” he said.
He added: “I am sorry, Erika.”
Just minutes before, Mrs. Kirk publicly forgave the man who killed her husband. “I forgive him because it is what Christ did,” she said. “The answer to hate is not hate.”
Mr. Trump’s speech, which stretched on for roughly 45 minutes, capped a more than five-hour memorial service for the conservative activist, who was assassinated less than two weeks ago while speaking on a college campus in Utah.
Many members of Mr. Trump’s cabinet and senior White House staff — including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff — also spoke at the event, which drew tens of thousands of people to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
The president, in his remarks, oscillated between honoring Mr. Kirk’s life and promoting his political agenda. Mr. Trump teased an announcement on Monday about autism, discussed sending in federal agents to Chicago to reduce crime and boasted about the tariffs he has slapped on foreign countries.
But Mr. Trump also shared memories of his interactions with Mr. Kirk, lauding his hard work and thanking him for helping make inroads with younger voters in the last presidential election.
“He’d make me feel very guilty,” he said. “As president, many people ask me for things, but Charlie was one of the few who always gave more than he took.”
As Mr. Trump’s speech veered increasingly into politics, hundreds of people started leaving the arena. Many of the attendees woke up at 3 a.m. and stood in line for hours to make it into the venue, with organizers setting up multiple overflow areas.
Most of the speakers before the president talked extensively of Mr. Kirk’s faith, and they vowed to carry on his mission to implement a conservative Christian vision of the United States.
Top administration officials also credited Mr. Kirk and his organization, Turning Point USA, for helping Republicans win elections, saying their work was invaluable to their success.
“Our whole administration is here, but not just because we love Charlie as a friend, even though we did, but because we know we wouldn’t be here without him,” Mr. Vance said. “Charlie built an organization that reshaped the balance of our politics.”
Tyler Pager is a White House correspondent for The Times, covering President Trump and his administration.
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