Morning Brief: Charlie Kirk Memorial Service To Be Held Next Sunday, Rubio Heads to Israel, Lance Twiggs, What’s Next For Ryan Routh?

· Guy D. McCardle

Kirks public memorial will be held next Sunday at State Farm Stadium. Image Credit: AP

Charlie Kirk to Be Honored at State Farm Stadium Memorial

On Sunday, September 21, 2025, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, will host a public memorial service for Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated in Utah earlier this month. The venue, home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, carries a capacity north of 63,000 and signals the scale of the tribute.

Themed “Building a Legacy, Remembering Charlie Kirk,” the event is set to open its doors at 8 a.m. MST, with the formal program beginning at 11 a.m. Seating will be first-come, first-served, but registration is required, with guest guidance set to be released the day before.

Kirk’s assassination on September 10, during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University, sent shockwaves across the country. Authorities quickly apprehended the alleged gunman, but the political and cultural impact of the killing continues to ripple.

High-profile attendees are expected, including  President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Their presence reinforces how far Kirk’s influence stretched beyond youth conservative activism into the broader national stage.

Arizona was home ground for Kirk—where he lived with his wife and children, and where Turning Point USA is headquartered. That connection makes Glendale a fitting location for the memorial, both geographically and symbolically.

Turning Point USA described the gathering as more than a commemoration. They cast it as a call to action, urging supporters to carry forward Kirk’s mission and cement his legacy in shaping America’s political future.

 

Rubio Lands in Israel as Gaza Crisis Boils Over

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Israel this week, stepping into the middle of one of the most volatile stretches in the region in years. His visit follows an Israeli airstrike in Doha that killed senior Hamas leaders and sparked rare public criticism from President Trump. The strike rattled U.S.-mediated negotiations and angered Arab states just as the region heads into an Arab-Islamic summit and a major United Nations debate on Palestinian statehood.

Rubio’s job is to steady the ship and keep Washington’s priorities front and center. He’s pressing for the release of the 48 hostages Hamas still holds, pushing for a ceasefire, and making sure humanitarian aid gets to civilians trapped in Gaza. At the same time, he’s raising the bigger questions that come after the shooting stops: who will rebuild Gaza, who will pay for it, and who will run it so Hamas doesn’t come roaring back.

The urgency is clear. Israel is gearing up for a major assault on Gaza City, with residents already told to evacuate. That means a humanitarian crisis is set to worsen, and the window for diplomatic maneuvering is closing fast. Washington is trying to walk a tightrope—backing Israel’s security needs while showing frustration at unilateral moves that undermine U.S. efforts to calm the region and keep Arab partners like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in play.

Rubio’s trip is about sending a message. The U.S. isn’t stepping back from the Middle East, no matter how complicated or bloody the fight gets. By reaffirming the alliance with Israel while pressing for a sustainable plan for Gaza’s future, Rubio is signaling that Washington intends to shape the endgame, not just watch from the sidelines.

 

Lance Twiggs: The Witness Who Helped Crack the Kirk Assassination Case

In the days after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was gunned down during his “American Comeback” tour stop at Utah Valley University, investigators zeroed in on Tyler Robinson, the accused shooter. But one name surfaced alongside Robinson’s—and became critical to the case: 22-year-old Lance Twiggs.

Twiggs wasn’t a bystander. They had been living with Robinson and, by some accounts, were in a relationship with him. What set Twiggs apart was how they responded after the killing. Rather than shielding Robinson, Twiggs cooperated fully with the FBI. That cooperation turned the investigation from chaos into clarity.

Among the evidence Twiggs handed over were text messages exchanged on social media platforms. These weren’t vague or indirect—they spelled out details about the bullet casings used, the rifle’s location, and Robinson’s movements as he tried to stay ahead of law enforcement. The information matched what federal agents found:  A .30-06 Mauser rifle wrapped in a towel in a wooded area, along with shell casings tied directly to the shooting.

Law enforcement officials have credited Twiggs’s actions as decisive in bringing Robinson into custody and securing the charges against him. There’s no indication Twiggs was involved in the planning or execution of the murder. Instead, their cooperation became the hinge point that allowed investigators to piece together what happened and move quickly against Robinson.

Twiggs’s personal ties to Robinson drew media attention, but that story risks overshadowing what mattered most: when the moment came, Twiggs chose to hand over the evidence that broke the case wide open.

 

Ryan Wesley Routh: The Man on Trial for Trying to Kill Trump

Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, is at the center of one of the most high-profile trials in recent memory. Federal prosecutors say he came within seconds of assassinating Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.

On September 15, 2024, a Secret Service agent spotted Routh crouched in the shrubbery outside Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. He had an SKS semi-automatic rifle trained through the fence toward the former president. Before he could pull the trigger, the agent opened fire. Routh dropped the weapon and bolted, leading authorities on a chase that ended on Interstate 95. The FBI later confirmed Routh never fired a shot.

Routh’s trial began on September 8, 2025. He faces a mountain of charges: attempted assassination of a presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, possession of a firearm by a felon, using a gun with a defaced serial number, and attempted felony murder tied to injuries sustained during his getaway. He has pleaded not guilty and is representing himself, turning the courtroom into a sideshow with off-topic rants and erratic behavior.

His background paints the picture of a man spiraling long before the assassination attempt. A North Carolina roofer and contractor by trade, he later moved to Hawaii and ran a business building tiny homes for the homeless. But Routh also carried a rap sheet that included possession of a weapon of mass destruction and stolen goods. Neighbors recalled his increasingly erratic behavior, particularly after a trip to Ukraine.

Prosecutors describe him as deliberate and dangerous. They say he tracked Trump’s movements, stockpiled military-grade weapons, and used burner phones to mask his plans. Their argument is blunt: without fast action from the Secret Service and a bystander, Trump would likely be dead.

As the trial unfolds, Routh’s defiance remains on full display. The outcome will hinge not just on the evidence, but on whether the jury sees him as a calculating would-be assassin—or a volatile man unraveling in plain sight.