Vice President Vance, his wife Usha, and Charlie Kirk’s family and friends flew with Kirk’s casket on Air Force Two from Salt Lake City to Phoenix, home to both Turning Point USA and Kirk’s family.
A video showed Vance and service members carrying the casket off the plane. Kirk, a trusted confidant of Vance, shared a bond from early doubts about Trump in 2016 to backing him fully by 2024. Vance said Kirk was pivotal to both the conservative movement and Trump’s decision to choose him as running mate.
President Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk’s funeral in Arizona, which is expected to be next weekend. He spoke before departing for New York, as Vance flew from Salt Lake City to Phoenix with Kirk’s casket.
“They’ve asked me to go, and I think have an obligation to be there,” Trump said, according to the Associated Press.
FBI Director Kash Patel was also traveling to Utah, NBC News reported, though it was unclear if he was aboard Air Force Two.
Vice President JD Vance carries Charlie Kirk’s coffin after landing back in Charlie’s home of Phoenix Arizona.
Powerful. Beautiful. Somber.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 11, 2025
