TPUSA co-founder Charlie Kirk receives Medal of Freedom after death

President Donald Trump is posthumously awarding Turning Point USA (TPUSA) co-founder Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom Tuesday — the highest award issued to civilians in the U.S. 

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University in September. His death came a year after two assassination attempts against Trump.

“I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on,” Trump said Sept. 11 when he announced Kirk would receive the honor.

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Individuals who receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom are those who presidents determine have provided an “especially meritorious contribution” to the national security of the U.S., world peace or other cultural endeavors. Trump is awarding Kirk the award at the White House on what would have been his 32nd birthday. 

David Engelhardt, lead pastor of Kings’ Church in New York City and board member of TPUSA, said that it’s a “privilege” to watch Kirk be honored with the award. 

“Charlie is the right recipient to the Medal of Freedom because he believed that God’s moral order found in faith is not a limit to freedom but the soil it grows in,” Engelhardt told Digital. “People who destroy that soil in the name of safe-spaces and to protect against ‘dangerous ideas’ will soon find their land barren. Charlie stood for freedom rightly ordered and founded in the gravity of God’s system.”

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An image of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk is placed at a memorial in his honor, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Sept. 29, 2025. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Kirk’s widow, Erika, has been tapped to serve as TPUSA’s new chief executive officer in the wake of her husband’s death to lead the organization and guide the next generation of conservative leaders. 

“I feel a sense of deep gratitude to Erika Kirk and the entire Turning Point USA team for their tireless work in continuing to shape a generation grounded in truth and purpose,” Engelhardt said. 

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President Donald Trump joined Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, on stage at the Turning Point USA founder’s memorial service in Arizona on Sept. 21, 2025.  (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

The shooting suspect involved in Kirk’s assassination, Tyler Robinson, was charged in September with aggravated murder, along with other charges. 

Trump is awarding Kirk with the award following his visit to the Middle East to oversee a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. 

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.