On Sunday, Erika, Charlie Kirk’s widow, stood in front of almost 100,000 mourners in Arizona and gave a speech that made the whole stadium quiet.
Her 31-year-old husband had been shot in the neck and killed while giving a speech at Utah Valley University just 11 days before.
The service, which took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, was full of MAGA hats, American flags, and sad fans.
But even though the sadness was clear, two things stood out: Erika’s message of forgiveness and Donald Trump’s shocked look when he hugged her.
A heartbreaking confession
Erika shocked many when she took the stage and forgave her husband’s accused killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
“I want to save young men, just like the one who killed himself,” she said through tears. “I forgive that man, that young man. I forgive him because that’s what Christ did and that’s what Charlie would do.
She promised to take over as the new head of Turning Point USA and said:
“The answer to hate is not hate.” The gospel tells us that love is the answer, and it always will be. We should love our enemies and those who hurt us.
Later, Erika talked about how scary it was to see Charlie’s body in the hospital.
“I saw the wound that killed him. I felt everything he would expect me to feel. I was shocked. “I felt scared and heartbroken in a way I didn’t even know was possible,” she said. “But there was something else, too. I could still see the man I love even after he died. I also saw a very small smile on his lips.
Doctors told her that Kirk’s death was quick, which was a small blessing in the tragedy.
“There was no pain, no fear, no agony,” Erika said. “One minute, Charlie was doing what he loved… Then he closed his eyes. He blinked and saw his savior in heaven.
Trump’s tribute and a hug that went viral
Donald Trump, the main speaker, called Kirk “a martyr now for America’s freedom” and “a great of his generation.”
But he also said that they didn’t always agree.
He didn’t hate his opponents; he wanted the best for them. That’s where I don’t agree with Charlie. I hate my opponents and don’t want what’s best for them.
Trump hugged Erika at the end of his speech. People couldn’t stop talking about Trump’s face online, even though the crowd cheered.
@literally_lydLIKE WHAT WAS THATTT ????? i wish I didn’t have EYESSS 😭😭😭😭
TikTok videos of the moment went viral. One user, @literally_lyd, said, “We can all see what he’s thinking, right?” Like it’s not just me? … What is this timeline?
Others added their own discomfort:
“I was going crazy because it was so strange.”
“I shouldn’t have looked.”
“OMG!!! There are things I didn’t need to see.
Went in a darker direction
One comment that went viral took a darker turn when one person wrote, “No telling where he grabbed her,” probably in reference to Trump’s famous comment from 2005. The Washington Post released a recording in which Trump brags to TV host Billy Bush about trying to have sex with a married woman.
But not everyone thought the moment was bad.
Some people quickly came to the defense of the hug.
One person said, “My 80-year-old mom said that social media will take ten seconds to write a disturbing comment about a hug.”
Someone else said, “To me, it looks like he’s comforting a young widow who is sad. The girl is very sad. He is being nice.
At the same time, prosecutors said that Robinson is facing several felony charges, including aggravated murder, which could lead to the death penalty.