President Donald Trump reportedly skipped a prayer vigil for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk Sunday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The president’s public events schedule was blank for Sunday, The Daily Beast reported, and his press schedule indicated he was spending the weekend at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. On Saturday, Trump pontificated about suspect Tyler Robinson and his alleged radicalization while discussing the shooting at the “Hope Through Education” gala held at the New Jersey residence, TMZ reported.
By 6:30 p.m. Sunday Trump was back in the White House, TMZ noted, practically down the block from the long lines of people hoping to get inside the auditorium.
Numerous GOP luminaries were on hand, including Trump administration officials, as the vigil kicked off at about 6 p.m.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke, as did some of the 85 members of Congress who attended. Several of them invoked Trump in their tributes to Kirk.
“I speak on behalf of the president when I say President Trump loved you, Charlie, so much,” Leavitt told the crowd.
“We know there are two special individuals in that big, beautiful White House that care about Charlie Kirk, don’t we?” the vigil’s organizer, Arizona Republican state Sen. Jake Hoffman, said to the audience. “President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance love Charlie Kirk just like you love Charlie Kirk.”
Trump said he does plan to attend Kirk’s Sept. 21 memorial in Arizona, and Vance hosted Kirk’s podcast on Monday in honor of his friend.
Formal charges are expected Tuesday against 22-year-old Robinson, who is accused of fatally shooting Kirk Wednesday as he spoke at Utah Valley University in Orem.
With News Wire Services
