The 31-year-old activist was key in growing support for the GOP among young people and had helped run the get-out-the-vote for Trump\u2019s 2024 campaign, according to the Associated Press. President Donald Trump honored Kirk in his address Wednesday on the first night of the convention.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly one year ago tomorrow, a far-left extremist assassinated my great friend, conservative voice Charlie Kirk,\u201d Trump said. \u201cBecause Charlie Kirk spoke the truth.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Erika Kirk, chief executive of Turning Point USA and Kirk’s widow, sat in a special section to the left of Treasury secretary Scott Bessent Wednesday. As Trump waved to Erika Kirk, the crowd in the arena rose to their feet and chanted \u201cCharlie.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Erika Kirk appeared emotional as American Airlines Center reverberated with her husband\u2019s name. Trump said in his address that he expects Erika to be in Dallas today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat she\u2019s had to go through, and the most beautiful family, just terrible,\u201d Trump said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to a programming schedule<\/a> released by the Republican National Committee, Pastor Lucas Miles, vice president of Turning Point USA Faith, will say a prayer before a video tribute to Kirk will play for the audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n The segment is scheduled to begin around 5 p.m. CT.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kirk founded Turning Point USA, the youth political organizing group, in 2012. He was a popular fixture on college campuses for conservative students who felt their political leanings and beliefs were not welcome in academia, and he often made provocative statements<\/a> about gender, race and religion.\u00a0<\/p>\n Turning Point USA is hosting a memorial for Kirk<\/a> at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was killed.\u00a0<\/p>\n