Erika Kirk wipes her eyes as a military aide reads the citation before President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to her late husband, Charlie Kirk, in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The father of two was shot and killed on September 10 while speaking at a live “Prove Me Wrong” event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, part of his cross-country “America Comeback Tour.”
President Donald Trump on Tuesday honored slain pro-Israel activist Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, returning from the Middle East just hours earlier to preside over a somber Rose Garden ceremony marking what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday.
Standing beside Erika Kirk, the widow of the Turning Point USA founder, Trump called her husband “a martyr for truth and freedom” and said his name “will forever stand among the roster of true American heroes.”
“He was assassinated in the prime of his life for boldly speaking the truth,” Trump said.
“Charlie’s courage and conviction will live forever in the hearts of millions of young Americans.”
Erika Kirk, who now serves as CEO of Turning Point USA, accepted the medal and thanked the president for “making this a priority amid everything happening in the Middle East.”
“To live free is the greatest gift,” she said through tears. “But to die free is the greatest victory. Happy birthday, my Charlie. Happy Freedom Day.”
The Rose Garden audience included Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, and several Fox News hosts such as Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity.
Vance, a close friend of Kirk, had personally helped transport Kirk’s remains on Air Force Two. He sat in the front row beside his wife, Usha.
As “Amazing Grace” played, Erika Kirk held the medal in her hands. Usha Vance placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Trump nodded quietly before returning to the podium.
“I would not have missed this for anything in the world,” Trump said.
“Charlie believed in this country with every breath he took. He believed we could fix what was broken, not by tearing it down but by standing up and speaking truth.”
The father of two was shot and killed on September 10, while speaking at a live “Prove Me Wrong” event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, part of his cross-country “America Comeback Tour.”
Investigators said a single round struck Kirk in the neck from a rooftop about 120 yards away, sending students running for cover as the event’s livestream abruptly cut off.
The FBI later identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a Utah resident, as the suspected gunman after DNA from a towel and a screwdriver found near the rifle matched his genetic profile.
He has been charged with aggravated murder and obstruction of justice, and prosecutors say they intend to seek the death penalty.
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