Trump, Musk Reunite at Charlie Kirk Memorial, Signaling Possible Conservative Power Reset

Donald Trump and Elon Musk set aside months of estrangement to appear together Sunday at the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk — a spectacle that doubled as both a show of grief and a possible thaw in one of the movement’s most intriguing political feuds.

The memorial at State Farm Stadium drew a capacity crowd of 60,000, with thousands more gathering outside. Attendees, many wearing red, white, and blue at the request of Turning Point USA, filled the arena with signs and chants in tribute to Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative firebrand whose assassination in Utah earlier this month has become a galvanizing moment for the right.

Trump, delivering one of the most high-profile eulogies, called Kirk a “great American hero” and pledged to award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. “Less than two weeks ago, our country was robbed of one of the brightest lights of our time,” Trump said, drawing a standing ovation that lasted nearly a minute.

But the political subplot — and the one likely to reverberate beyond the stadium — was the image of Trump and Musk sitting together in a private suite, separated from the crowd by bulletproof glass but appearing visibly at ease with each other. The two men, whose alliance fractured in May after Musk publicly criticized Trump’s debt-heavy legislative agenda during his short-lived stint running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), were seen shaking hands, laughing, and conversing animatedly throughout the service.

Musk later posted his own view from the suite: “Every seat in this giant arena that isn’t roped off for security is packed to the ceiling. Honored to be here. All for Charlie Kirk.” Hours later, he added a photo with the caption: “For Charlie.”

The day’s roster of conservative heavyweights further underscored the event’s significance. Trump introduced Musk to UFC chief executive Dana White while House Speaker Mike Johnson dropped in for a brief conversation. Vice President JD Vance and several cabinet members delivered remarks praising Kirk’s role in mobilizing young voters. Kirk’s widow, Erika, drew roaring applause as she told mourners her husband “lived bravely” and “loved America to his last breath.”