So, it was Charlie Kirk’s memorial, but Donald Trump couldn’t help thumping his chest and boasting he has solved autism

President Donald Trump drew criticism Sunday after using Charlie Kirk’s memorial service to announce what he called a major autism breakthrough. The service was held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, to honor Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA who was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10.

During his closing remarks at the memorial, Trump changed course from remembering Kirk to preview an announcement scheduled for Monday. The president told the crowd that his administration would reveal what he described as one of the biggest medical breakthroughs in American history.

“I think you’re going to find it to be amazing,” he told the crowd. “I think we found an answer to autism.” The stadium audience, which had spent hours listening to remembrances of Kirk, responded with polite applause. Trump did not reveal details about the planned announcement during the memorial service.

Social media users quickly criticized the decision to make such claims at a funeral

The behavior follows a pattern observers have noted about Trump’s responses to Kirk’s death. When asked days earlier about how he was handling the loss of his friend, Trump replied “I think very good” before immediately shifting to discuss construction of a new White House ballroom, saying “And by the way, right there you see all the trucks. They just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House, which is something they’ve been trying to get for about 150 years.” 

Social media users quickly criticized Trump’s comments at what was meant to be a solemn memorial service. Brian Allen, a Twitter user, wrote “Bro, its a funeral” and added “This wasn’t a eulogy. It was a campaign teaser. Even in death, it’s still all about him.” Another user who identified as being on the autism spectrum, expressed concerns about the announcement, writing “As someone on the Autism Spectrum, I’m scared of what their ‘answer’ is gonna be.”

Additional criticism came from Laura, who posted “Jesus H Christ!! This wasn’t a memorial for Kirk! It was Trump’s pathetic way to gather a crowd around him. Oh, yeah and the big announcement that together with Dr Oz and worm brain, they’ve solved autism.” The behavior follows a pattern that observers have noted, where Trump makes situations about himself even during serious moments.

The Trump administration is expected to announce that Tylenol use during pregnancy could contribute to the development of autism in children, according to Politico and The Washington Post. The announcement is scheduled to take place in the Oval Office on Monday and is expected to involve Health and Human Services officials. This approach aligns with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s previous promises to “discover” autism causes, who has been selected as Health Secretary despite his controversial anti-vaccine views.

As President Trump and others noted, the service felt more like a “revival” rather than a memorial, and Kirk’s connection to and efforts for his Christian faith were on full display throughout. Kirk was remembered for his work building a conservative youth movement through Turning Point USA, which he founded as a teenager. The organization became a significant force in conservative politics under his leadership before his death at age 31.