Former President Donald Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk reunited publicly at the funeral of activist Charlie Kirk, setting aside past differences in a widely noted gesture. Held at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, the event drew around 78,000 attendees. A lip reader reported that Trump told Musk he had missed him, and both men later shared photos of their meeting with the caption, “For Charlie.”
This marked the first appearance of Trump and Musk together since Musk resigned from the federal Department of Government Efficiency earlier in the year and began publicly criticizing the Trump administration. At the funeral, the two reportedly expressed interest in reconciling and working together again.
Musk’s past criticisms included social media posts calling for political reform and proposing the idea of a new party. However, their reunion at the funeral appeared to signal a temporary pause in tensions, brought about by their shared respect for Kirk’s legacy.
Notably absent from the list of speakers at Kirk’s memorial was conservative commentator Candace Owens, a former communications director for Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the organization Kirk co-founded. Owens and Kirk were once close allies, but reports suggest a growing distance in recent years due to differing political views.
Owens addressed the situation through a video posted in response to a media inquiry. She stated that she was not invited to speak at the memorial but denied any falling-out with Kirk, asserting that their friendship had remained intact. Owens also questioned whether internal politics or donor influence may have played a role in her exclusion.
Other speakers at the event included President Trump, Senator JD Vance, and commentator Tucker Carlson. The memorial, while focused on honoring Kirk’s life, also highlighted ongoing divisions and realignments within conservative circles.
