Musk, Trump Briefly Meet at Kirk Memorial

The funeral for 31-year-old activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew massive attention with more than 200,000 online RSVPs and use of an overflow venue. The Department of Homeland Security designated the event SEAR Level 1, and security measures included coordination by the U.S. Secret Service and a bulletproof glass enclosure for President Trump’s podium. At the memorial, Elon Musk and President Trump were seen sitting together, shaking hands and briefly conversing, an exchange captured in social media clips. Conservative host Benny Johnson said Musk embraced Erika Kirk and told a small group, “If we don’t hang together we will surely hang separately, so let us unite,” while Trump called the encounter “nice,” saying it was nothing more than a brief hello. Observers noted theatrical staging, pyrotechnics and political pageantry around Erika Kirk’s forgiveness, and debate circulated over whether the meeting signaled a lasting reconciliation or a momentary truce.