Vice President JD Vance accompanied Charlie Kirk’s body from Utah to Arizona in a final tribute to his close friend.
Kirk, 31, was assassinated Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Final Flight
Vance canceled his plans to attend 9/11 ceremonies in New York and instead traveled with his wife, Usha, to Utah.
Thank you for bringing our hero home @VP @JDVance.
We are so grateful for you. pic.twitter.com/h5kZgJ2zTd
— Tyler Bowyer (@tylerbowyer) September 11, 2025
Together they joined Kirk’s family as his casket was carried aboard Air Force Two.
The plane landed in Phoenix Thursday evening, where crowds gathered to honor the Turning Point USA founder.
Uniformed service members, alongside Vance, helped carry Kirk’s casket onto the aircraft.
Crowds in Phoenix
Thousands lined the streets of Kirk’s hometown as the motorcade passed through.
Supporters held flowers, flags, and signs reading tributes such as “Welcome home, Charlie.”
At Phoenix air traffic control, an operator sent a message as Air Force Two landed: “Welcome home, Charlie. You didn’t deserve it. May God bless your family.”
A Friendship Remembered
Vance shared a lengthy tribute on X, recalling how he first connected with Kirk in 2017 after a Fox News appearance.
“Charlie was fascinated by ideas and always willing to learn and change his mind,” Vance wrote.
He described how both men were skeptical of Trump in 2016, but later became strong supporters of the president.
Vance credited Kirk with backing him early in his 2021 Senate run, when his campaign was still polling in the single digits.
Kirk invited him to Turning Point USA events and introduced him to donors and activists.
“He did it because we were friends, and because he was a good man,” Vance wrote.
When Vance’s family struggled with the demands of public life, Kirk was a steady source of encouragement.
The vice president said Kirk constantly checked on his wife and children, offering prayers and guidance.
“After every event, he would give me a big hug, tell me he was praying for me, and ask me what he could do,” Vance wrote.
After Trump and Vance won the 2024 election, Kirk stood beside them at events in Washington.
Vance later recalled introducing Kirk to President Trump, who noted, “Charlie really loved his family.”
“Charlie Kirk was a true friend,” Vance wrote. “The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him.”
Vice President Vance closed his tribute with a promise to continue Kirk’s mission.
“Now that Charlie is in heaven, I’ll ask him to talk to the big man directly on behalf of his family, his friends, and the country he loved so dearly,” Vance wrote.
“You ran a good race, my friend. We’ve got it from here.”
Legacy of Leadership
Supporters remembered Kirk as a driving force in the conservative youth movement.
He founded Turning Point USA in Phoenix, building it into a national organization with thousands of student activists.
Memorials have been set up outside TPUSA’s headquarters, including a photo of Kirk with the words: “May Charlie be received into the merciful arms of Jesus, our loving Savior.”
