U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awarded murdered activist Charlie Kirk the nation’s highest civilian honor – the Presidential Medal of Freedom. October 14 has been established as Charlie Kirk Remembrance Day.
“We are here today to honor and remember a fearless warrior for freedom, a beloved leader who inspired a generation like no one before him,” said Trump during the ceremony. The medal was accepted by Kirk’s widow, Erika, who took over leadership of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) after her husband’s death.
“Mr. President, I can say with absolute certainty that you have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have imagined,” said Kirk’s widow, addressing Trump. The activist, who would have turned 32 on October 14, was shot dead on September 10 in front of a crowd during a debate at Utah Valley University. He died after being taken to the hospital. Kirk is the first person to receive this honor from Trump since the start of his second term.
“Since Charlie’s killing, we have seen exactly why our country so desperately needed his example. We are witnessing legions of far-left radicals resorting to desperate acts of violence and terror, because they know their ideas and arguments convince no one,” Trump declared in his speech.
Seven charges for the killer
On September 16, the Utah State Prosecutor’s Office filed seven charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, accused of murdering Kirk. If convicted, prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. Text messages sent by Robinson were made public, in which he allegedly said he killed Kirk because he was “tired of his hatred.”
The Department of State decided to revoke the visas of foreign nationals who celebrated Charlie Kirk’s killing. “The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death upon Americans,” the Department of State wrote on X. “The Department of State continues to identify visa holders who celebrated the heinous murder of Charlie Kirk,” the post read.
The agency listed several individuals who, as it stated, are no longer welcome in the United States. Among them were citizens of Argentina, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, and Paraguay.
The Department also cited posts about Kirk published by these individuals, in which he was called a “fascist” and a “racist,” with comments such as “he died too late” and “should burn in hell.”
Kirk was one of the most prominent figures of the America First movement, a political commentator, and founder of Turning Point USA. He was well known for hosting debates with students. TPUSA also ran its own media channels, and Kirk hosted a political talk show on Real America’s Voice television.