There was a moment during the Charlie Kirk memorial service on Sunday that very much crystallizes Donald Trump’s relationship to the Christian right, for which Trump has long been a political champion, if not quite a member of that cohort himself.
“He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them,” Trump said of Kirk in his eulogy. “That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry.” Trump then left open the possibility that Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, might convince him otherwise, but in the meantime, “but I can’t stand my opponent.”
Trump: He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry pic.twitter.com/GUiW7NBb0y
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 21, 2025
“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,” CNBC reported on the event.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
At other points, Trump’s remarks at the memorial sounded a lot like a standard Trump political rally, one that invoked Kirk occasionally. Trump bragged about the crime crackdown in Washington before announcing that he was planning to “go into” Memphis and Chicago:
Trump: But we’re going to go do Chicago… we’ll get that one straightened out. pic.twitter.com/uyWUlNZW3w
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 21, 2025
Trump went on to discuss a Justice Department investigation of “radical left maniacs,” and to mock talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, including his “no ratings.” He also discussed “major losers” who had praised Kirk’s killing.
I thought this was a memorial service. https://t.co/k4iAqbNsIz
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 21, 2025
Trump also riffed on tariffs, which was certainly an unusual thing to discuss at a memorial service.
Trump claimed tariffs are making us rich again, saying the U.S. is wealthier than anyone imagined, and that only people who hate our country or foreign nations paying the price would oppose them.
Tariffs as a get-rich-quick scheme: worked great in the 1930s. pic.twitter.com/o8l7eiQTBz
— The Vivlia (@TVivlia) September 22, 2025
Off the rails doesn’t even cover it — he’s building a whole new track that only his ego can ride.
Everyone is mourning.
Trump on the other hand says:
“Tariffs are making us rich again. Richer than anybody ever thought was possible.”
The man could probably interrupt a… pic.twitter.com/F6rQd2PtWZ
— Dimitris Soudas 🇨🇦⚜️🇬🇷☦️ 13.12.1943 (@DimitrisSoudas) September 22, 2025
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
