Donald Trump is en route to Arizona to attend the funeral of Charlie Kirk.
Mr Kirk, aged 31, was shot and killed while attending an event at Utah Valley University earlier this month.
A memorial service will be held for the Conservative activist at State Farm Stadium in Arizona from 7pm (BST).
Speaking to reporters as he prepared to depart for the event, Mr Trump said: "[Charlie Kirk] was a young man, but a great man and we look forward to it. We want to look at it as a time of healing.
"That something like this could have happened is not even believable, so it is going to be a very interesting day, a very tough day."
Vice President JD Vance and other prominent allies are expected to be in attendance.
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Musicians perform ahead of official start of service
Musicians are performing ahead of the official start of the memorial service
|REUTERS
Musicians have started to perform ahead of the official start of the memorial service.
Many mourners in the crowd could be seen singing along to the music.
State Farm Stadium begins to fill up
State Farm Stadium is beginning to be filled for the memorial service
|REUTERS
State Farm Farm is starting to fill up ahead of the start of the service.
Many attendees can be spotted wearing MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats, while others are wearing T-shirts with a drawn image of Charlie Kirk on them and the Turning Point logo.
Mourners arrived hours ahead of service
Crowds gathered before dawn to secure a spot at the memorial service
|REUTERS
Mourners gathered before morning light in hopes of having a chance to pay their respects to Charlie Kirk.
Crowds could be seen outside State Farm Stadium in Arizona hours before the doors opened for the service.
Organisers Turning Point USA said entrance to the event was on a first-come, first-serves basis.
Security at the service is set to be extremely tight, given Donald Trump’s attendance as well as the ongoing political turmoil in the aftermath of Kirk’s death.
A senior Department of Homeland Security official said the service had been given the agency's highest level security rating, reserved for "events of the highest national significance" such as the Super Bowl.
Full list of speakers for service in Arizona
Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica, is among those who are set to speak at the memorial service
|REUTERS
A number of US politicians and other key figures are set to speak at the memorial service in Arizona today.
They include:
- Donald Trump
- Erika Kirk, wife of Charlie Kirk and newly appointed CEO of Turning Point USA
- Vice President JD Vance
- US secretary of state, Marco Rubio
- US health and human services secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr
- US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth
- Director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard
- Donald Trump Jr
- US Conservative commentator, Tucker Carlson
- White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller
- Sergio Gor, director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office
- White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles
WATCH: Memorial rally taking place in Hyde Park to honour Charlie Kirk
Vice President pays tribute to 'dear friend Charlie Kirk'
US Vice President JD Vance has paid tribute to his "dear friend" Charlie Kirk.
He wrote to X: "Last week, we brought my dear friend Charlie Kirk home one last time.
"Today, we return to Arizona to remember Charlie and honour his sacrifice.
"May he eternally rest in peace, and may God watch over Erika and their beautiful children."
Donald Trump former chief advisor arrives at State Farm Stadium
Steve Bannon has arrived at the memorial
|REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA
Steve Bannon, former chief advisor to Donald Trump, has been pictured arriving at State Farm Stadium for the memorial service.
Mr Bannon could be seen wearing a dark-coloured shirt and blazer and sunglasses as he arrived.
Speaking on his War Room podcast following Charlie Kirk's death, Mr Bannon described him as a "world historical figure".
Stadium for Charlie Kirk memorial service expected to be filled, organisers say
Large crowds have began to gather at State Farm Stadium
|REUTERS
Organisers have said they expected to fill State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for Charlie Kirk's memorial service today.
The stadium has a capacity of more than 73,000.
An overflow space has also been arranged at a nearby arena, according to Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for Kirk’s advocacy group, Turning Point USA.
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