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Who skipped Charlie Kirk’s funeral? Melania, Ivanka among absentees

Several key figures were notably absent, including Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Updated on: Sep 22, 2025, 08:50:30 IST
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Charlie Kirk’s public memorial took place on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The event drew thousands of attendees and several prominent political figures, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, entrepreneur Elon Musk, commentator Tucker Carlson, and members of Trump's Cabinet.

An image of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during a memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, US, on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (Bloomberg)
An image of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during a memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, US, on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (Bloomberg)

Also Read: Trump, Musk come together ‘For Charlie’. See photos from Kirk's memorial

Notable absences raise eyebrows

Despite the high-profile turnout, several key figures were notably absent. Among them were First Lady Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Melania Trump did not travel aboard Air Force One with the President from Washington, D.C., and was not seen at the memorial.

However, she had issued a public tribute on September 11, writing on X (formerly Twitter), “Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed. Charlie Kirk’s life should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate awareness elevates family, love, and country.”

Also Read: Usha Vance's encouraging words to Erika Kirk revealed at Charlie Kirk's funeral service

List of Trump administration officials who attended

President Donald Trump

Vice President JD Vance

Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Attorney General Pam Bondi

Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff

FBI Director Kash Patel

Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI

Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Kelly Loeffler, head of the Small Business Administration

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy

Education Secretary Linda McMahon

Sergio Gor, head of the White House Presidential Personnel Office

Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff

Current and former elected officials

House Speaker Mike Johnson

Representative Lauren Boebert, Republican of Colorado

Senator Rick Scott, Republican of Florida

Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas

Representative Celeste Maloy, Republican of Utah

Representative Anna Paulina Luna, Republican of Florida

Former Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida

FBI director issues statement on assassination probe

FBI Director Kash Patel issued a detailed public statement just hours before the memorial began.

In a post on X, Patel addressed the ongoing investigation into Kirk’s assassination, “As the Director of the FBI, I am committed to ensuring the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s assassination is thorough and exhaustive, pursuing every lead to its conclusion.”

He elaborated further on the scope of the investigation, saying, "We are meticulously investigating theories and questions, including the location from where the shot was taken, the possibility of accomplices, the text message confession and related conversations, Discord chats, the angle of the shot and bullet impact, how the weapon was transported, hand gestures observed as potential “signals” near Charlie at the time of his assassination, and visitors to the alleged shooter’s residence in the hours and days leading up to September 10, 2025.”

He concluded, “The entire FBI mourns the loss of Charlie Kirk. We will not rest until justice is served, and our investigation into this assassination will continue until every question is answered.”

  • Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan

    Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan leads the US Desk at Hindustan Times, where she writes, strategises coverage, and ensures quality across all beats. With eight years of experience covering US news for leading publications, she has reported extensively on politics, entertainment, and sports. Vaishnavi holds a graduate degree in English, Journalism, and Psychology, and completed her PG Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the Manorama School of Communication, where she was awarded the prestigious Mammen Mappillai Award for Best Outgoing Student. She began her career at the International Business Times (US Edition), covering US breaking news, politics, and entertainment. She later joined Opoyi, reporting across all beats, including US sports and trending stories. Prior to Hindustan Times, she served as World Lead at Times Now News, covering comprehensive world news and events. Vaishnavi has expertise in politics, entertainment, and breaking news, and enjoys tackling stories across a wide range of topics. Beyond the newsroom, she is an avid traveller, a foodie who loves exploring new restaurants, and a pop culture enthusiast who enjoys watching latest shows and films. She also enjoys engaging in debates and discussions on Reddit.Read More

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