President Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom to conservative activist Charlie Kirk at the White House on Tuesday, just over a month after he was shot and killed during an event in Orem, Utah.
Kirk, who died at the age of 31, was a prominent ally of the president and was seen as a leading force in mobilizing young Americans to vote for him. His death has become a rallying cry for many Republican leaders and activists, who have pledged to continue his work.
Trump, who was personally close to Kirk – as were his son Don Jr. and Vice President Vance – praised Kirk's political impact during a ceremony held in the Rose Garden at the White House on Tuesday afternoon.
"We're here to honor and remember a fearless warrior for liberty, beloved leader who galvanized the next generation like nobody I've ever seen before," Trump said, adding that the ceremony fell on what would have been Kirk's 32nd birthday.
"Charlie is attaining a far more important milestone," he added. "We're entering his name forever into the eternal roster of true American heroes."
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is considered the highest civilian honor given by the U.S. government. Previous recipients include members of Congress, activists, as well as scientific leaders and cultural icons.
Kirk's death has ignited a broader discussion around the causes of political violence, with many GOP leaders placing blame on "far left" groups for fueling such violence. Without naming specific groups, Trump echoed those claims in his remarks Tuesday.
"We've watched legions of far-left radicals resort to desperate acts of violence and terror because they know that their ideas and arguments are persuading no one," Trump said. "They know that they're failing. They have the devil's ideology and they're failing."
But as the threat of political violence grows, data show an increase in violence committed by people who have been influenced by a mix of different extremist ideologies.
At the time of his death, Kirk had developed a following of millions online, espousing socially conservative Christian beliefs. Critics of Kirk decried much of his rhetoric as offensive, including his opposition to transgender rights and past comments that the 1964 Civil Rights Act was a "mistake."
Kirk's supporters denounced those who raised criticism after his death, resulting in some losing their jobs, and comedian Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily pulled from the air for his comments.
Within the Turning Point movement, the late activist was both regarded as an influential political figure and a seasoned youth organizer.
He founded Turning Point USA in 2012 at the age of 18 to engage college and high school students in conservative ideas. More than a decade later, the organization has grown into a national player in Republican politics, with hundreds of chapters around the country and a reported revenue of nearly $85 million – along with a slew of sister organizations, including its advocacy group Turning Point Action, which worked with the Trump campaign on voter turnout efforts last year.
The award ceremony comes just weeks after tens of thousands of supporters gathered in Glendale, Ariz., for Kirk's public memorial, where he was repeatedly labeled a political "martyr."
It's a characterization that Trump repeated on Tuesday, as did Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, who held back tears as she accepted the award on her husband's behalf.
"God began a mighty work through my husband and I intend to see it through," said Erika Kirk, who has since been named the new CEO of Turning Point. "The torch is in our hands now."
The 36-year-old faith-based entrepreneur has played a key role in shaping the next phase of her husband's organization, pledging to continue many of his efforts, including the campus tour he had just begun when he was assassinated.
Since Kirk's death, Turning Point has also reported receiving tens of thousands of inquiries to start new chapters at schools around the country.
Near the start of her remarks, Erika Kirk made a point to highlight the organization's student network, calling it "the heartbeat of this future and of this movement."
"Everything that Charlie built, you guys are the legacy holders of that," she added. "You are living proof that his mission did not die with him. It lives through you."
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