On September 11, U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived at Salt Lake City airport in Utah, where he joined in loading Kirk’s casket onto Air Force Two. The aircraft, which belongs to Vance, would transport Kirk’s remains to Phoenix, Arizona.
Authorities confirmed that Kirk’s family members and some of his friends would accompany the flight with Vice President Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance.
Vice President Vance had previously praised Kirk as a close friend, recalling how Kirk had campaigned both publicly and privately to help secure his position as the Republican vice-presidential nominee last year.
“Much of the success we’ve achieved in this administration is thanks to Kirk’s organizational skills and his ability to mobilize,” Vance said. “He not only helped us win the 2024 election but also played a critical role in staffing the entire administration.”
On the same day, 16 Republican members of Congress sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, urging that a statue of Kirk be erected on Capitol Hill. "This is a permanent tribute to his career, courage, and sacrifice. It also serves as a reminder that violence can never be used to resolve political differences, and the fight for truth must continue," the lawmakers wrote.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on September 10 while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. President Donald Trump described the political activist as "a legend" and announced that Kirk would posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.