Millions of Americans spent Sunday afternoon watching the memorial service of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk live from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Headlined by political heavyweights including President Donald Trump, conservative media figures and religious leaders, the memorial for the slain TPUSA founder ranked as one of the largest public gatherings ever organized for a private citizen. Americans who wouldn’t be there in person largely turned to Fox News.
Fox News Channel drew 4.8 million total viewers from 1:30 to 7:15 p.m. ET during special coverage of Kirk’s memorial, while CNN managed only 330,000 and MSNBC settled for 251,000 during the same time period.
ERIKA KIRK FORGIVES HUSBAND'S KILLER AT MEMORIAL SERVICE: 'IT'S WHAT CHARLIE WOULD DO'
Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, takes the stage during the public memorial service for political activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on September 21, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Fox News also dominated the advertising-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54 with quadruple-digit advantages, averaging 687,000 compared to 48,000 for CNN and only 21,000 for MSNBC.
During the coverage, Fox News captured 89% of total viewers and 91% of the cable news audience in the key demo.
From 1:30-6 p.m. ET, Kayleigh McEnany and Lawrence Jones’ four-hour special "Remembering Charlie Kirk" averaged 4.5 million viewers and 639,000 in the demo, outpacing CNN and MSNBC in both categories in the process.
Fox News’ viewership peaked during Erika Kirk’s powerful remarks during the 6PM ET hour, with 5.9 million viewers and 878,000 in the key demo.
Fox News’ YouTube livestream of the memorial amassed 2.2 million total live video views, its third most-viewed livestream of 2025, according to YouTube analytics.
Kirk was assassinated Sept. 10 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. The gathering was the first stop on TPUSA’s planned American Comeback Tour.
"Our greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal," Trump said of Kirk during his remarks. "He’s a martyr for American freedom."
Trump said he would soon honor Kirk at the White House with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
In another memorable moment at the service, Erika Kirk said she forgave her husband's alleged killer.
TPUSA told Fox News Digital that approximately 90,000 people attended the service, with roughly 70,000 bringing the stadium to capacity. Another 10,000 people gathered at the nearby Desert Diamond Arena, a designated overflow venue, according to estimates provided by TPUSA. Additionally, another 10,000 people watched Kirk's memorial service from nearby viewing areas.
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CHARLIE KIRK
President Donald Trump embraces Erika Kirk during the memorial service for her late husband, Charlie Kirk. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard were among the Cabinet members who spoke at the service.
Ratings data courtesy of early data from Nielsen Media Research.
Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.