Trump announces posthumous Medal of Freedom for Charlie Kirk

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said he would award Mr Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, paying tribute to the political ally whose killing stunned the conservative movement.

“I’m pleased to announce that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The date of the ceremony will be announced, and I can only guarantee you one thing, that we will have a very big crowd,” Mr Trump said on Sept 11, in remarks at the Pentagon to mark the anniversary of the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Mr Kirk, 31, was

speaking at an outdoor event at a university in Utah

on Sept 10 when a single shot was fired from a nearby building, according to local police. Governor Spencer Cox described it as a “political assassination”.

Mr Trump on Sept 11 said Americans were experiencing “horror and grief” at the “heinous assassination”.

“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika and his beautiful children, fantastic people,” he said.

The president later told reporters that he would speak to Mr Kirk’s family in the afternoon.

“We’ll be discussing, you know – you don’t replace Charlie Kirk, he was unique, as you all know,” Mr Trump said.

The president also said he hoped that Mr Kirk’s killer would be apprehended soon.

“They have a virtual manhunt down there so we’ll see what happens,” Mr Trump said. “We hope we get him.”

Mr Kirk’s killing

drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, and left members of the conservative movement he helped to transform in recent years shocked.

The executive director of the Turning Point USA advocacy group, Mr Kirk led one of the most influential groups helping to rally young voters to embrace conservative causes, aiding in Mr Trump’s political rise.

Mr Kirk left behind a wife and two young children.

Mr Trump, in a video release on Sept 10, hailed Mr Kirk as a “patriot” and blamed rhetoric from the “radical left” for contributing to the violence – mentioning actions targeting Republicans but not incidents against Democrats – even with the manhunt for the killer still under way.

Federal investigators said they had recovered what they believe was the rifle used to kill Mr Kirk.

The fatal shooting is the latest in

a string of American political violence

in recent years – including an attempt on Mr Trump’s life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, during the campaign in 2024. BLOOMBERG