White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called slain political activist Charlie Kirk a “beaming light” Sunday night during a vigil held in his memory.
Leavitt said Kirk will be her inspiration each time she steps to the podium, she said in the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., per a report on Mediaite.
“Simply put, Charlie was a beaming light in a world that is so consumed by darkness,” Leavitt said. “It’s going to take all of us in this room and all of us across the country to take up Charlie’s torch, because that is exactly what he would want us to do.”
She added people will need to “lean on our faith” as they continue his legacy.
“We have to lean on our faith, dig in, and fight back harder than ever before for the beliefs and convictions that Charlie made his life’s work. That is how we will honor his family and honor his legacy,” she added.
Leavitt was one of many high-profile Republicans to speak at the vigil, which included Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Senior Advisor for the U.S. Agency for Global Media Kari Lake.
There were 85 members of Congress in attendance.
Kirk was murdered Wednesday while speaking on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Kennedy recalled the time he and Kirk talked about to “die fighting with our boots on” to protect America’s constitutional rights.
Kennedy said Kirk just that when he was gunned down while he in a questions-and-answers session.
“Charlie gave his life so that the rest of us would not have to suffer those fates worse than death,” Kennedy said. “Now it’s our job — he’s no longer there to lead us — to rush in and fill the breach and win the battle for our country, for God, and for our families.”
Kennedy’s closing remarks drew a loud “USA! USA! USA!” chant from the crowd.
