US President Donald Trump has been criticised for his behaviour at the memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, after footage showed him dancing on stage beside Kirk's grieving widow. The service, held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew tens of thousands of mourners on Sunday to honour the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder, who was shot dead during a college debate earlier this month. Trump praised Kirk as a 'great American hero' before inviting his widow, Erika, on stage as a choir sang 'America the Beautiful'.
Viral clips from the event showed Trump mouthing the words and swaying to the music while Erika bowed her head, prompting widespread criticism online. Users on X branded his behaviour 'weird', 'inappropriate' and 'disgusting', with some accusing him of treating the memorial as a campaign rally. Others went further, claiming the moment revealed signs of cognitive decline. 'People with raging dementia have zero impulse control', one comment read, while another suggested the President was 'utterly detached from what is supposed to be a solemn occasion'.
