On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump honored his late ally Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative figure who was tragically killed on September 10 during a public gathering, by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
The former president referred to the 31-year-old, who was shot, as a “martyr for truth and freedom.”
Trump placed Kirk among historical figures such as Socrates, Saint Peter, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The billionaire Republican highlighted Kirk’s significant role in mobilizing young supporters for his recent election campaign.
During a ceremony held at the White House gardens, the 79-year-old Trump criticized the radical left, accusing them of adhering to a “devil’s ideology.”
The former president, who deployed the military in several cities controlled by Democratic opposition against the wishes of local authorities, stated, “We see hordes of leftist extremists resorting to violence.”
According to Trump, the sole source of political violence in the United States is the left, without mentioning attacks targeting Democratic figures.
Kirk’s widow received the medal on his behalf and delivered a speech that was marked by her emotional pauses.
Erika Kirk, who succeeded her late husband as head of the far-right youth organization Turning Point USA, remarked in her address, “To everyone watching: this is not a celebration; it’s the beginning.”
She added, “His mission did not die with him.”
The young widow expressed that had her husband lived, “he would likely have run” for the presidency.
The accused killer, Tyler Robinson, 22, faces the death penalty and is scheduled to appear in court on October 30.
In a related matter, the U.S. State Department announced on Tuesday evening that it revoked the visas of six foreign nationals present in the United States for “celebrating the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
The department shared images of the posts made by these individuals on social media platform X.
The Trump administration previously canceled numerous visas due to the political views of the holders, a controversial practice that is supported by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, particularly against pro-Palestinian students.
Following Kirk’s assassination, many internet users who criticized him on social media discovered they had lost their jobs due to their comments.