Tens of thousands of people attend funeral and memorial service for American influencer Charlie Kirk

United States President Donald Trump paid tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a memorial service for his September 10th assassination.

The commemoration at State Farm Stadium is being attended by tens of thousands of people, and speeches are expected from Trump and prominent members of his administration and the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement, such as Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of Defense, recently of War, Pete Hegsett, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and others.

"Today we will celebrate the life of a great man," Trump told reporters as he left the White House to attend the memorial service, adding that "today will be a tough day."

The stadium, which seats more than 60.000, was nearly full by 9:30 a.m. local time, and it is estimated that more than 200.000 mourners could attend Kirk's funeral, a spokesman for the Glendale police department said, CNN reports.

Kirk was shot while speaking at a forum at the University of Utah on September 10, after which he died in hospital.

His murder sparked a heated debate in the US about violence and freedom of speech, with Trump blaming the "radical left" for Kirk's death and threatening to take action against liberal organizations and donors or others he believes are defaming or celebrating the death of the 31-year-old activist and founder of the organization "Turning Point USA".

Trump criticized Democratic members of the House of Representatives who voted against a resolution praising Kirk's life, work and legacy.

Dozens of journalists and educators have lost their jobs since Kirk's murder over alleged offensive or celebratory comments, including host Jimmy Kimmel, whose show has been canceled by ABC indefinitely.

The State Department warned that it would revoke the visas of any foreigners who celebrated Kirk's murder.

22-year-old Tyler Robinson is suspected of Kirk's murder, and if convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Authorities have not revealed a clear motive for the shooting, but prosecutors say Robinson wrote in a note he left after the shooting that he was "fed up with Kirk's hatred."

The gathering will also be addressed by Erika Kirk, the widow of the murdered activist, who was appointed as the new leader of his organization and promised at the time that "his movement will not die."