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.
Erika Kirk a possible future star
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 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.
Trump's call to arms
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 came just a day after a Truth Social Post in which he 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.
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. Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller declared, We are the storm... our enemies cannot comprehend our strength, our determination, our resolve, our passion.
Hints of a religious revival
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 1930s 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, with millions more watching 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 Protestant that our form and structure of government was built for the people that believed in Christ our Lord, Kirk stated 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, indicating that further shifts could be in store. Kirk's death may prompt a religious awakening among American youth. If it doesn't, however, the evangelical rhetoric could exclude as much as it unites – further exacerbating cultural and political divides in the nation.
Presidential ambitions on display
With only nine months into Trump's second term, Sunday night may also have been an opening skirmish in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination contest. Potential contenders Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr had prominent speaking slots, each discussing the significance of their relationship with Kirk.
The contrast between their focused, traditional eulogies and Trump's bombastic style was notable. Vance promised, For Charlie, we will rebuild this United States of America to greatness... 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 spoke of how Kirk changed the trajectory of history and the risks involved in challenging intrenched interests. Rubio lauded Kirk for inspiring Americans to live a productive life, get married, start a family, love your country. Trump's role was still significant, but he was not the dominant force typically expected at such events, signaling a potential shift within the conservative landscape.
An unexpected Musk reconciliation
A surprising twist at the event was the return of tech billionaire Elon Musk, who had a friendly chat with Trump after their previous public fallout. Musk's involvement, while not the most pivotal moment of the memorial, indicates unexpected avenues for future collaborations within the institutional Republican framework. The overall atmosphere blended themes of unity, ambition, and division, hinting at the complex future of the MAGA movement.
