(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has posthumously bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation’s highest civilian award—upon conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was recently killed in Utah, according to reports.

Kirk’s widow, Erika, accepted the medal on his behalf during a ceremony held Tuesday in the White House Rose Garden.

Trump praised Kirk as a “martyr for truth” and a “fearless warrior for liberty” who had inspired countless Americans. The president also declared October 14, Kirk’s birthday, as the National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.

During the ceremony, Erika Kirk expressed her gratitude to the president, saying that the honor was “the best birthday gift he could ever have.”

Kirk was fatally shot last month by a sniper while speaking to students on a university campus in Utah. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, has been charged with the killing and was described by both prosecutors and his relatives as a man influenced by radical left-wing ideologies.

As the co-founder of Turning Point USA, Kirk became a prominent voice in conservative circles, touring universities across the country to debate contentious topics such as abortion, immigration, and gun rights. He was widely recognized for energizing young conservatives and was credited with helping to bolster Trump’s reelection campaign in 2024.

MENAFN15102025000045017640ID1110198096