In full: How Charlie Kirk's widow Erika stunned mourners 'I forgive my husband's killer'

Erika Kirk delivered a heart-wrenching but defiant tribute to her murdered husband, shocking mourners by declaring she had forgiven his assassin.

The grieving widow told the packed arena her spouse "wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life" before delivering her stunning message of forgiveness for suspected killer Tyler Robinson.

"I forgive him," Erika said as the crowd erupted in applause. "I forgive him because it's what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love, love for our enemies." The news comes after this Tyler Robinson conspiracy theory on Charlie Kirk messages was blown open by expert.

She then vowed to carry forward his legacy after his assassination sent shockwaves through America's right-wing movement.

Hospital vigil reveals final moments

The 36-year-old mother-of-two told those gathered about seeing her husband in hospital, but said she found comfort knowing he didn't suffer during his final moments.

She said her husband "died with incomplete work, but not with unfinished business," insisting his greatest cause had been his determination to revive the American family.

Direct challenge to men in audience

Addressing the men in the audience, she challenged them to live by his ideals with a powerful message about marriage and partnership.

She said: "Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals. You are one flesh, working together for the glory of God."

The widow said her appeal was a direct continuation of her husband's life's work.

"Charlie's greatest cause was the family. He believed that true manhood meant loving and protecting your wife and children, not abandoning them. That work must go on," she added.

Air Force Two conversation provides strength

Recounting the immediate aftermath of the killing, she revealed that the day after the shooting she was aboard Air Force Two, travelling with the Second Lady, Usha Vance.

She admitted to Mrs Vance that she feared she wouldn't be able to carry on.

"Honestly, I do not know how I am going to get through this," she said.

The response, she told mourners, gave her the strength to endure.

"Things are crazy. Kids are not cooperating. Toys are flying everywhere, and everyone's screaming. And you think to yourself, 'I cannot wait for this flight to land.' And it's 15 minutes before you land. And she told me, 'You will get through these 15 minutes and the next 15 minutes after that.' Usha, I don't think you realised it then, but those words were exactly what I needed to hear."

Republicans rally around widow's leadership

The assassination has already been branded by Republican leaders as an attack on their movement itself. Thousands of supporters have gathered at vigils across the country, echoing Kirk's calls for a conservative revival and pledging to continue his work.

Senior figures in the party have been quick to frame Erika as the natural inheritor of that cause. Allies describe her as poised, unflinching, and determined to ensure that her husband's death doesn't weaken the political project he built.

For the Republican base, her words are being seen not only as a personal expression of grief but also as a rallying cry at a moment of crisis.