Over the course of his memorial address, Vance cast Kirk as a central figure in reshaping the conservative movement, recalling how he transformed student politics into a national force that helped carry Donald Trump back to the White House.

“Charlie built an organization that reshaped the balance of our politics,” Vance said. “Turning Point brought millions of young people into conversation with one another … he asked of us, not just that we talk about saving our country, but that we actually go and do it, and we do it together.”

But the vice president focused most heavily on Kirk’s faith, framing him as a man whose Christianity defined both his public mission and private life.

“Charlie brought the truth that Jesus Christ was the King of Kings, and all truth flowed from this first and most important one,” Vance said.

He praised Kirk as a devoted husband to his wife, Erika, and father of two, describing him as “present and loving as any child would hope of his or her father.” At times, Vance grew personal, admitting Kirk’s death had prompted him to speak more openly about his own faith.

“I have talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have in my entire time in public life,” Vance told the audience. “That is an undeniable legacy of the great Charlie Kirk.”

Vance did not shy from the anger surrounding Kirk’s killing, condemning those who had “slandered him” or “celebrated his death.” Still, he urged mourners to take solace in Kirk’s legacy and redouble their commitment to his cause.

“For Charlie, we will speak the truth every single day. For Charlie, we will rebuild this United States of America to greatness. For Charlie, we will never shrink, we will never cower, and we will never falter,  even when staring down the barrel of a gun,” he said.

Vance, 41, shared a particularly close bond with Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder whose organization grew into one of the nation’s largest youth political movements. Their friendship began nearly a decade ago, after Kirk messaged Vance in 2017 to praise his appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show. The relationship deepened over the years, with Kirk ultimately urging Trump to choose Vance as his running mate last year, a reflection of the influence he carried with the president.

In the days since Kirk’s death, Vance has taken a leading role in honoring him. On Monday, the vice president hosted a special edition of The Charlie Kirk Show from his ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with the two-hour livestream broadcast in the White House press briefing room. Administration officials who had worked closely with the 31-year-old activist joined the program. Vance, who accompanied Kirk’s body home from Utah to Arizona aboard Air Force Two, opened by saying he was “filling in for somebody who cannot be filled in for, but I’ll do my best.”

TURNING POINT’S ERIKA KIRK TURNS GRIEF TO MOBILIZATION FOR YOUNG CONSERVATIVE WOMEN

The vice president closed his Arizona remarks with a call to action, declaring Kirk both “a hero to the United States of America” and “a martyr for the Christian faith.”

“May our Heavenly Father give us the courage to live as Charlie lived,” Vance said. “He ran a good race, my friend. I love you. We’ve got it from here.”