Charlie Kirk memorial updates: 'I forgive him,' widow Erika Kirk says of alleged shooter

Donald Trump Jr., a close friend of Kirk's after they first worked together during the 2016 presidential campaign, began his remarks by saying he is not a sentimental person but "last week, when I received word that Charlie, who was like a little brother to me, had been assassinated, I was truly devastated."

"His legacy must be that when they took his life a million more Charlie's stepped up to film the void. We are all Charlie," Trump Jr. said to boisterous applause.

He then led the crowd in a call and response.

"I want to make sure the world hears us loud and clear. Will you surrender? Will you back down? Will you give up in fear?" Trump Jr. said, with the audience yelling "no" each time in reply.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Charlie Kirk waged war "not with a weapon" but with a "microphone, his mind and the truth."

He described the conservative activist as a "warrior" who had the "Biblical heart of a soldier."

Hegseth urged those listening to "live worthy of Charlie Kirk's sacrifice."

Marco Rubio said Kirk had wisdom that 'takes a lifetime to accumulate'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized Charlie Kirk's intelligence and said he had wisdom that "takes a lifetime to accumulate."

"He made a difference, he mattered," Rubio said.

Rubio added that Kirk had a "tremendous impact on young Americans" and led a movement that was "broader" and "deeper" than just politics.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard reiterated a message heard from several speakers today, which is that Kirk's "voice is now louder than ever."

"Free speech is the foundation of our democratic republic. We must protect it at all costs, because without it, we'll be lost. Charlie knew this. He lived it," Gabbard said.