White, red and blue: Dress code for Kirk memorial strayed from the usual black – Here's why

Hours before sunrise, tens of thousands of mourners streamed towards the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for a memorial unlike most. The death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, fatally shot in Utah at 31, has been framed as both political and spiritual. And the organisers made a striking choice: attendees were asked to arrive not in black, but in the colours of the American flag – red, white and blue.

The effect was immediate. The packed stadium glimmered with stars, stripes and MAGA hats, producing an atmosphere part revival, part political rally. “We’ve got it from here,” Vice President JD Vance told the crowd, memorialising Kirk as one of the pre-eminent voices on the American right.

Patriotic symbols and a conservative uniform

The decision to adopt the colours of the flag was both symbolic and deliberate. Kirk often draped himself in patriotic imagery, and mourners mirrored that spirit. Many wore T-shirts emblazoned with the word “Freedom,” echoing the shirt Kirk was wearing at the moment he was shot. Since his death, the plain-print design has spread widely online, sold on Etsy for as little as $8.

Caps carried equal significance. The familiar MAGA red hat remained ever-present, though many had been reworked to bear Kirk’s initials or slogans like “Make America Charlie Kirk.” The Turning Point USA shop is already selling such memorabilia for $39. It was a gesture that reflected Kirk’s final hours, when he threw red hats into the audience at Utah Valley University before the fatal shooting.

Political figures present also conformed to the Republican aesthetic. Donald Trump, the headliner and last speaker, appeared in his trademark dark suit, white shirt and red tie. Marco Rubio, Donald Trump Jr. and Jack Posobiec wore similar uniforms. Some, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pete Hegseth, swapped in blue ties, while Elon Musk and Stephen Miller opted for the traditional black suit, standing apart from the day’s red, white and blue theme.

Emotion, faith and politics intertwined

For Erika Kirk, who stepped on stage in a white suit and black top, the symbolism was personal as much as political. Grieving yet resolute, she vowed to continue her late husband’s work as the new chief executive of Turning Point USA. “I forgive him,” she said of the 22-year-old suspect charged with the killing, drawing a standing ovation from the tearful crowd.

The memorial ended with Lee Greenwood singing *God Bless the USA* and a fiery speech from Trump, who told the nation: “America loved Charlie Kirk.”