‘Charlie was martyred for his beliefs’: Donald Trump pays tribute to Kirk family in State of the Union address

President Donald Trump paid tribute on Tuesday night to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed last September, calling him a martyr for his faith during his State of the Union address. The president invited Kirk’s widow, Erica, to be his special guest, and the crowd chanted “Charlie” as he paid tribute to her late husband.“Last year, Charlie was violently murdered by assassins and martyred for his faith. His wonderful wife, Erica, is with us tonight. Erica. Please stand. Thank you,” Trump said during the speech, as Erica Kirk wiped tears from her face. “You’ve been through a lot,” USA Today reported. Trump also highlighted the surge in religious participation among young people, which he attributed to the influence of Charlie Kirk. “I’m very proud to say that during my tenure, the first four years and especially the last year, there has been a tremendous renewal of religion, faith, Christianity and faith in God. Huge renewal. And that’s especially true among young people. And a lot of that has to do with my good friend Charlie Kirk,” he said.He further called for national unity in Kirk’s memory: “In Charlie’s memory we must all unite to reaffirm that we are one nation under God and we must completely reject any form of political violence.”Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk died in September 2025 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing him, faces a death penalty case over his death. After the tragedy, Kirk was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom on his 32nd birthday.Erika Kirk, who was elected CEO and board chair of Turning Point USA following the death of her husband, attended the speech as one of President Trump’s special guests. White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt confirmed her attendance in a post on X and said the invitation was part of the administration’s support for the Kirk family, Fox News reported. Erika Kirk, who married Charlie in 2021, is a former NCAA women’s basketball player, an LLM American Legal Studies graduate and the 2012 Miss Arizona USA. The couple has two children: a daughter born in August 2022 and a son born in May 2024.