Kirk memorial's religious and political mix hints at future of Maga movement

The event honouring conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a stadium in Arizona was a swirling mix of memorial service, big-church Christian religious revival and conservative political rally.

It also provided a glimpse of a Republican Party at a fork in the road, weighing a choice between forgiveness and retribution; reconciliation and conflict.

The leading lights of President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again coalition gathered for an hours-long celebration of Kirk's life, which included music and plenty of speeches.

The event provided a glimpse at the potential direction of travel for Trump's Maga movement, more than a decade after it emerged and upended US politics.

Despite the string of prominent politicians speaking on Sunday night, the defining moment came when Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, took the stage. The 36-year-old former beauty contestant, podcaster and businesswoman took the opportunity to preach unity - including forgiveness for her husband's killer.

"The answer to hate is not hate," she said, her voice cracking. "The answer, we know from the Gospel, is love and always love. Love for our enemies, and love for those who persecute us."

It was a powerful speech from a woman who has quickly found her footing in the harshest of spotlights. Last week, Turning Point USA named her the head of the conservative youth organization that her late husband founded, a group that is flush with new energy and determination in the aftermath of Kirk's murder.

Sunday night proved Erika Kirk has the strength and character to be an effective public face for the Turning Point USA.

She eventually could become a formidable candidate for public office in her home of Arizona, a key political battleground state. Her words also offered a contrast to the bombast and confrontation that has typified most of modern American politics.

If Erika Kirk offered a glimpse of a possible kinder, gentler future for the conservative movement, Donald Trump, who spoke immediately after her, provided a quick reminder that the Republican Party of today may have very different priorities.

"I hate my opponents, and I don't want what's best for them," Trump said with a chuckle. "Now Erika can talk to me and the whole group and maybe they can convince me that's not right, but I can't stand my opponent."

Trump's remarks come just a day after a Truth Social Post in which the president demanded that his Justice Department prosecute his political enemies – including California Senator Adam Schiff, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

• Trump hails Kirk as martyr at memorial service

The president also announced that he had fired a federal prosecutor who had recently announced that there was not enough evidence to charge James with a crime, replacing him with one of his former defence attorneys.

Trump's remarks at the memorial service were jarring for the occasion, but he was not the only speaker to use the moment to promise action against "enemies".

"We are the storm," said senior White House adviser Stephen Miller. "Our enemies cannot comprehend our strength, our determination, our resolve, our passion."

He went on to say that conservatives would fight for Western culture and traditions and that their opponents have nothing but wickedness and jealousy.

"You have no idea the dragon you have awakened," he said.

While the event had its discordant notes, the overall theme was akin to a religious revival – reminiscent of Billy Graham's tent crusades of the 1930 and 1940s or the "great awakenings" of the 19th Century.

The memorial service celebrated Charlie Kirk's Christianity and promised a new enthusiasm among young Americans for traditional values with an evangelical fervour.

Tens of thousands of supporters packed the stadium and millions more watched online. Those numbers are sure to be encouraging for conservative leaders who want to see Christianity play a more central role in American public and political life – a view that Kirk himself repeatedly expressed.

"The body politic of America was so Christian and was so Protestent that our form and structure of government was built for the people that believed in Christ our Lord," Kirk said in 2024. "You cannot have liberty if you do not have a Christian population."

While Christianity has declined in the US in recent years, it is still the majority faith. Most surveys show that younger Americans are less religious than their elders, however, indicating that further shifts could be in store.

Kirk's death may prompt a religious awakening among American youth. If it doesn't, however, Sunday night's evangelical rhetoric could exclude as much as it unites – further exacerbating cultural and political divides in the nation.

We're only nine months into Trump's second term, but Sunday night also may have been an opening skirmish in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination contest.

Three potential contenders – Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr – had prominent speaking slots.

All three talked of the importance of their relationship with Kirk and their personal religion – providing more focused, traditional eulogies that contrasted sharply with Trump's speech. But there was still a forward-looking political edge to them.

"For Charlie, we will rebuild this United States of America to greatness," Vance said. "For Charlie, we will never shrink, we will never cower, and we will never falter, even when we are staring down the barrel of a gun."

Kennedy described of how Kirk "changed the trajectory of history" – and the risks of challenging "intrenched interests". Rubio praised Kirk for inspiring Americans to "live a productive life, get married, start a family, love your country."

Trump, of course, was a prominent speaker at the rally, but the president of the United States was not the dominant force the way he often is at political events.

Conservatives on Sunday began to get a taste of those who might become key players on the national stage once Trump leaves the scene.

Speaking of key players, Sunday night saw the return of one of the most prominent figures in the early days of Trump's second term.

Tech multi-billionaire Elon Musk, who was a close confidante of Trump's before a dramatic public falling out in June, visited the president's box at the Phoenix event and had what appeared to be a friendly chat.

"I thought it was nice," Trump told reporters afterwards. "He came over; we had a conversation."

Musk, who headed Trump's "Department of Government Efficiency" earlier this year, oversaw sweeping federal layoffs and attempted budget cuts.

He broke with the president over a $3.4bn congressional spending bill, however, and later promised to start his own political party.

A Trump-Musk reconciliation was certainly not the most significant development from the memorial service, but it may be one of the most unexpected - and who knows where it may lead.