(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump is expected to posthumously award late conservative activist Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday.
The White House ceremony is scheduled for what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday. It comes hours after Trump’s return from a trip to Israel and Egypt that was tied to a ceasefire and hostage release deal his administration helped broker for the war in Gaza.
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Erika Kirk, Kirk’s widow, will accept the award on her late husband’s behalf.
Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He was the co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth activist group, and a close ally of Trump. Kirk has been credited with turning out the youth vote in Trump’s 2024 election win.
Trump was the first to announce Kirk’s death in a post on social media, saying in part that “he was loved and admired by ALL, especially me.” The president also spoke at Kirk’s funeral.
