Charlie Kirk Receives The Medal of Freedom at The White House | 10.14.2025

[00:20:21] [Music] [00:20:30] Ladies and gentlemen, the President of [00:20:32] the United States accompanied by Erica [00:20:34] Kirk. [00:20:36] [Music] [00:20:57] [Applause] [00:21:02] Thank you very much everybody. Please, [00:21:04] this is such an honor. This is the uh [00:21:08] please you be seated. [00:21:11] This is the first time we've [00:21:13] been at the new and improved Rose Garden [00:21:18] and uh people are loving it. They're [00:21:19] loving it like they've not loved a lot [00:21:22] of things. We have the presidential walk [00:21:24] of fame which you just saw and uh it [00:21:28] just opened and we wanted to get it open [00:21:30] for this occasion. We were hoping we [00:21:31] were able to get outside and the weather [00:21:34] allowed us to. It was supposed to be [00:21:36] terrible rainy day. I was telling Eric [00:21:38] and God was watching and he didn't want [00:21:40] that for Charlie. He just didn't want [00:21:42] that. So, uh that's really uh beautiful. [00:21:48] Couldn't couldn't be more beautiful. [00:21:51] Today, we're here to honor and remember [00:21:54] a fearless warrior for liberty, beloved [00:21:56] leader who galvanized [00:21:59] the next generation like nobody I've [00:22:01] ever seen before, and an American [00:22:04] patriot of the deepest conviction, the [00:22:06] finest quality and the highest caliber, [00:22:09] the late great Charlie Kirk. [00:22:13] [Applause] [00:22:19] Five weeks ago, our nation was robbed of [00:22:22] this extraordinary champion. He was a [00:22:24] champion in every way. I got to know him [00:22:26] so well. He didn't like losing. [00:22:32] And he was able to fight people that [00:22:34] were enemies and he didn't necessarily [00:22:36] love those enemies so much. You know, I [00:22:38] heard I heard he loved his enemies and I [00:22:41] said, "Wait a minute. Is that the same [00:22:42] Charlie that I know? I'm not sure." But [00:22:45] I didn't want to get into it. [00:22:48] But it was a horrible, heinous, [00:22:51] demonic act of murder. He was [00:22:54] assassinated in the prime of his life [00:22:57] for boldly speaking the truth, for [00:23:00] living his faith and relentlessly [00:23:02] fighting for a better and stronger [00:23:04] America. He loved this country. And [00:23:06] that's why this afternoon, it's my [00:23:08] privilege to posumously [00:23:10] award Charles James Kirk, our nation's [00:23:14] highest civilian honor, the Presidential [00:23:17] Medal of Freedom. Thank you. [00:23:20] [Applause] [00:23:26] As you know, only hours ago, I returned [00:23:29] from a very historic trip to secure [00:23:32] peace in the Middle East. People said [00:23:34] that couldn't be done. Charlie felt it [00:23:36] could be done. [00:23:38] Charlie felt it could be done. [00:23:43] Thank you. [00:23:45] Thank you. [00:23:51] Thank you very much. But I raced back [00:23:53] halfway around the globe. I was gonna [00:23:56] call Erica and say, "Erica, could you [00:23:58] maybe move it to Friday?" [00:24:02] And I didn't have the courage to call. [00:24:04] But you know why I didn't call? Because [00:24:06] I heard today was Charlie's birthday. [00:24:08] And I said, 'You know, now we that was a [00:24:10] definite. And I said, 'We going to have [00:24:12] to forget about some of those very big, [00:24:14] very rich countries that expected me to [00:24:16] be there. And I can tell you based on [00:24:19] the length of that flight, I wouldn't [00:24:20] want to go back tomorrow. [00:24:24] But I would not have missed this moment [00:24:26] for anything in the world. Nothing. And [00:24:30] it's a very important time for our [00:24:31] country and our country is doing so [00:24:33] well. It's never done better. We are a [00:24:37] country with almost now 18 trillion [00:24:40] dollars of investment coming in. [00:24:42] Nobody's ever seen anything like that. [00:24:44] Previous administration had less than a [00:24:47] trillion for four years. We have more [00:24:49] than 18. It'll be much more than 20 by [00:24:51] the time the year. More than 20 trillion [00:24:53] dollars. There's never been a country in [00:24:55] the world that had anything like that. [00:24:57] what's happened to our country is [00:24:59] incredible in a short period of time. [00:25:01] Charlie was a big person for sir, can we [00:25:05] close up those borders, please a little [00:25:07] bit? You know, they're really leaking [00:25:08] badly. I said, Charlie, I haven't gotten [00:25:10] there yet. But, you know, it came out [00:25:12] last four months. Literally, nobody was [00:25:16] allowed into our country. And uh the [00:25:19] only people that were allowed in were [00:25:20] people that came in legally. The borders [00:25:22] are absolutely stone cold closed. And uh [00:25:26] they reported zero zero zero and zero. [00:25:28] So that's pretty good. But he was a a [00:25:32] big believer. He wanted people in the [00:25:34] country more than I did, frankly. He [00:25:36] wanted them to come in legally. And he [00:25:39] got his wish. October 14th is Charlie's [00:25:43] birthday. And he should have been [00:25:45] turning 32 years old. I tell you, I [00:25:48] never when I first met him, he was like [00:25:51] 22. And I said, "Boy, he's awfully [00:25:54] young, but I thought he was older than [00:25:56] that." You know, he looked a little bit [00:25:58] older than his age. That's okay. You [00:25:59] know, that's not good when you're old, [00:26:01] but when you're young, it's great. He [00:26:03] had the best of all things, but he was [00:26:06] special. But instead, Charlie is [00:26:09] attaining a far more important [00:26:11] milestone. We're entering his name [00:26:13] forever into the eternal roster of true [00:26:16] American heroes. He's a true American [00:26:18] hero. An amazing person. way, way beyond [00:26:22] his years. And I'm honored to be joined [00:26:25] by a woman who has endured unspeakable [00:26:27] hardship with unbelievable [00:26:30] strength. And that's Charlie's [00:26:33] widow, Erica. And I just want to thank [00:26:36] you, Erica. He loved you so much. [00:26:42] I was with him. Please. [00:26:45] Thank you, darling. [00:26:48] Thank you. [00:26:53] I was with him before I met Erica and he [00:26:56] told me he was going to get married. He [00:26:58] said, "You won't believe how beautiful [00:27:03] she is." I said, "Well, then now that I [00:27:05] meet her," he was right. But then he [00:27:06] also said, "And you know what? She's [00:27:09] like the smartest person I know." See, [00:27:12] they do go together on occasion. Not [00:27:15] often. Not often, but on occasion they [00:27:19] go together. But uh he was he was in [00:27:22] love with you. He was deeply in love [00:27:24] with you. It's great. Erica, your love [00:27:27] and courage have been an inspiration to [00:27:30] all of us. And we will always be here [00:27:32] for you. And we're always going to be [00:27:34] here for your gorgeous, beautiful [00:27:37] children. And we'll never forget what [00:27:39] your family has sacrificed [00:27:41] for our country. man loved our country. [00:27:45] When things were going badly for our [00:27:47] country, he was so, [00:27:49] as you know, angry. He would get angry [00:27:51] because he said, "It doesn't have to be [00:27:53] that way." We're also pleased to be [00:27:55] joined by an incredible group of [00:27:57] Charlie's [00:27:58] friends. Very powerful friends actually, [00:28:01] and some not so powerful, and they're [00:28:03] actually better people. Okay, I know [00:28:05] them all. They're the less powerful [00:28:07] ones. I have to tell you that all of you [00:28:09] power guys down here, the best ones in [00:28:12] the group are the ones that are less [00:28:13] successful, but that happens to No, [00:28:15] they're all great and they're here. And [00:28:18] let's start with Erica's father. Where [00:28:20] is Erica's father? Where are you? Where [00:28:24] are you, Dad? Oh, look at him. Wow. I [00:28:27] want to get a hat like that, too. I like [00:28:29] that. How are you? Nice to see you [00:28:31] again. [00:28:32] Thanks as well to Vice President J. D. [00:28:36] Vance, who's been fantastic. JD, thank [00:28:38] you very much. [00:28:42] Great. Doing a great job. Did a great [00:28:45] job on Sunday with George Slapadopoulos. [00:28:49] I did put him away pretty good. Second [00:28:53] lady, who's a phenomenal woman, Usha [00:28:57] Vance. Thank you very much, Usha. [00:28:59] Thank you very much. Great woman. [00:29:02] President of Argentina. He wanted to be [00:29:05] here. that that's Argentina is a serious [00:29:08] flight, right? And he's become a [00:29:11] superstar and he's doing amazing things. [00:29:14] It's uh he's a MAGA person, but it's [00:29:17] make Argentina great again. That's what [00:29:19] he does, right? And I want you to stand, [00:29:21] please. Javier Javier Mle [00:29:26] doing a great job. [00:29:30] Thank you very much. Many members of my [00:29:33] cabinet are here. just about all of them [00:29:34] are here. I won't go into every single [00:29:37] one of them, but I'll announce a few of [00:29:38] the people that have really turned this [00:29:40] country around and helped me. Incredible [00:29:42] people. Speaker of the House, Mike [00:29:45] Johnson. Where is Mike? Mike, what a job [00:29:48] you're doing. Mike, [00:29:51] what a job you're doing. And I watched [00:29:53] you this morning and you're in there [00:29:55] trying to say, "Look, just let the [00:29:56] country open. Everything will be fine. [00:29:59] We're dealing with some radical left [00:30:02] lunatics [00:30:04] and I just wish Charlie was here to [00:30:06] fight us. I think the fight would have [00:30:08] been over already. He would have had a [00:30:11] march on the capital by people who whose [00:30:13] average age is about 21 because there's [00:30:16] nobody that had that relationship with [00:30:18] young people, right, Mike? So, thank [00:30:20] you, Mike, for being here. House [00:30:22] Majority Leader Steve Scaliz. Steve, [00:30:26] thank you very much. brave, a brave guy [00:30:29] and a friend. House Majority Whip, [00:30:32] another terrific man, Tom Emmer. [00:30:36] Tom, [00:30:38] thank you, Tom. Senate Majority Whip, [00:30:42] John Baraso. John, thank you very much. [00:30:47] You have all these senators, I'm going [00:30:48] to get in trouble. I'm not going to read [00:30:50] all their names. I'll be reading all [00:30:51] day. We'll be talking about Charlie in [00:30:53] about 45 minutes from now. We can't do [00:30:55] that. So all of the senators, there's so [00:30:57] many of you. Thank you very much. I do [00:31:00] want to thank Senator Shu Thun for doing [00:31:02] a terrific job. He's really been leading [00:31:05] properly. Do you agree, Mike? The team, [00:31:07] the two of these guys have been [00:31:08] fantastic. So to Senator Thun, I want to [00:31:11] thank you very much. Incredible job. [00:31:13] Watched him this morning and he was out [00:31:15] there pounding them this morning on [00:31:16] television, too. And John Baraso, thank [00:31:19] you for the work you've done and [00:31:21] congratulations on your success. But I [00:31:24] want to thank you all and all of the [00:31:25] Congress people that are here and I see [00:31:28] we have our attorney general here. So, [00:31:30] and you are doing a fantastic job. Thank [00:31:32] you very much, Pam. Thank you. Thank you [00:31:35] very much. We have everybody. Wow, [00:31:38] that's incredible. Okay, I'm not going [00:31:40] to do anymore. [00:31:42] Going to be here too long, but I just [00:31:45] want to thank you have given him such [00:31:47] support, but he always gave you such [00:31:49] support. That's why you're here. and uh [00:31:52] very unusual. Charles James Kirk was a [00:31:55] visionary and one of the greatest [00:31:57] figures of his generation. He was truly [00:31:59] an amazing figure and growing leaps and [00:32:02] bounds. He knew that the fight to [00:32:05] preserve our heritage is waged not only [00:32:07] on the battlefield and in the halls of [00:32:10] power of which we have tremendous power [00:32:12] here, including the head of a place [00:32:15] called war. We call it now war. We had [00:32:18] defense. We had our secretary of [00:32:21] defense. Now we have a secretary of war [00:32:24] and somehow I think it's more emblematic [00:32:26] and hopefully we'll never have to use [00:32:28] war. But the fact that we're ready is [00:32:29] very good. Peace through strength is [00:32:31] very important. But also in the hearts [00:32:34] of our nation's youth. That's where [00:32:36] Charlie rode strongest. at age 18. That [00:32:39] insight inspired Charlie to found the [00:32:42] organization that ultimately touched the [00:32:45] lives of millions and millions of people [00:32:47] and so many young people that nobody's [00:32:51] ever seen anything like it, frankly. [00:32:53] Turning Point USA. It's amazing. And [00:32:56] it's actually bigger now. It's become [00:32:59] bigger in the last few weeks than [00:33:00] Charlie ever thought. [00:33:04] I think his end vision in many years [00:33:07] from now would have been just a fraction [00:33:08] of what it turned out to be in a couple [00:33:10] of weeks, right? It's amazing. With hard [00:33:13] work and joyful spirit and endless [00:33:15] enthusiasm and determination [00:33:19] and he did have great enthusiasm. You [00:33:21] know, I always say you need enthusiasm [00:33:22] to be successful. He had great [00:33:24] enthusiasm. Charlie grew turning point [00:33:26] into the largest conservative youth [00:33:28] organization in the entire country. He [00:33:31] forged a personal bond with countless [00:33:33] young conservatives. He fought for free [00:33:35] speech, religious liberty, strong [00:33:38] borders, and a very strong and proud [00:33:40] America. In everything he did, he put [00:33:43] America first. He really put America [00:33:46] first. And ultimately, Charlie became [00:33:49] more than a leader of an important [00:33:51] organization. He became the leader of [00:33:53] historic movements all over the country. [00:33:56] There were movements, individual [00:33:58] movements, one movement, but it was [00:34:01] historic. Everything he did was [00:34:02] historic. And a true evangelist for the [00:34:06] cause of freedom and the word of [00:34:09] almighty God. God was very important to [00:34:12] Charlie. He would say, you know, if you [00:34:14] don't have religion, you're not going to [00:34:15] have a strong country. It's true. He was [00:34:18] so wise beyond his years. You know, I [00:34:20] talk to him sometimes. I say, this guy [00:34:21] is like a young guy. He was really a [00:34:24] wise man. [00:34:26] from the time Charlie worked on my [00:34:28] presidential campaign in 2016. And he [00:34:30] was there right from the beginning. He [00:34:31] liked me. I don't know. I have no idea [00:34:34] why. What the hell was he thinking? He [00:34:37] said, "You're going to win, sir." I [00:34:39] said, "You know, I'm running against 17 [00:34:41] senators and a lot of tough people and [00:34:45] governors. We have all these people." [00:34:47] And he said, "No, you're going to win, [00:34:49] sir." He said, "Not going to be close." [00:34:51] And he made it happen. He helped make it [00:34:54] happen. And I'll tell you that without [00:34:56] him, who knows what would be. Maybe [00:34:58] you'd have Kamala standing here today. [00:35:00] That would not be good. I will tell you, [00:35:02] Javier, you don't know who Kamla is. [00:35:05] Promise. It would not be good. You agree [00:35:07] with that, Howard? [00:35:09] He also mobilized countless citizens to [00:35:11] go vote. It's called go vote. Very [00:35:14] simple. And with his help, in 2024, we [00:35:17] won more young people than any [00:35:19] Republican by far in the history of our [00:35:22] country. And we won the popular vote. We [00:35:25] won the swing states, all seven of them. [00:35:27] Remember, they said, "Oh, well, if Trump [00:35:29] could win four, that would be nice. I [00:35:30] win seven by a lot, by a landslide." But [00:35:34] the popular vote was massive. And uh we [00:35:37] won the electoral college. Remember, [00:35:39] they said, "Well, it's going to be very [00:35:40] hard. I'd say 270." Well, we got 312 to [00:35:44] 226. [00:35:46] And then we won something called [00:35:48] districts and councils and different [00:35:51] things. But in one case, we won 2,750 [00:35:56] to 525. [00:35:58] That's the one where you see the map is [00:36:00] almost entirely red except I have a [00:36:01] little blue line on one side and a [00:36:04] little blue line, meaning New York and a [00:36:07] little bit Los Angeles. I have a feeling [00:36:09] that if the v vote were 100% we would [00:36:12] have won that too. You want to know the [00:36:13] truth? But he knew and he knew very well [00:36:16] and he also understood honesty and he [00:36:19] was always concerned with honesty. He [00:36:21] said the only way we can lose is if the [00:36:24] cheating gets so bad and that's where we [00:36:26] came up with a little phrase too big to [00:36:29] rig. We said go out and vote. Just go [00:36:32] out and vote. And we had that remember [00:36:34] we used to say that all the time because [00:36:36] people would say oh they're going to [00:36:38] win. We don't have to vote. Let's go to [00:36:39] a movie. We'll come home and watch [00:36:41] later. and he wasn't about that. So, we [00:36:44] had we come up to with really together [00:36:46] we came up with that phrase, we got to [00:36:48] make it too big. I never made a speech [00:36:50] where I didn't say at the end, now look, [00:36:52] the polls are showing good. Don't [00:36:53] believe the polls. Said we're going to [00:36:56] make it Susie, right? Too big to rig. [00:36:59] So, if you think we're going to win by [00:37:01] doesn't matter. Pretend we're losing. [00:37:03] You got to go out and vote. They voted. [00:37:05] And at 9:02, the whole thing was over, [00:37:08] right? 9:02. Remember they said, "Oh, [00:37:10] this could go a few days." Well, went a [00:37:12] few minutes. 9:02. And he knew that. And [00:37:16] I I felt it, but he knew it. He knew it. [00:37:18] I think he knew it more than anybody. [00:37:21] But Charlie never missed an opportunity [00:37:23] to remind us of the Judeo-Christian [00:37:25] principles of our nation's founding or [00:37:27] to share his deep Christian faith. In [00:37:30] his final moments, Charlie testified to [00:37:32] the greatness of America and to the [00:37:34] glory of our savior with whom he now [00:37:37] rests in heaven. And he is going to make [00:37:40] heaven. And I said, "I'm not sure I can [00:37:41] make it, but he's going to make it." [00:37:44] He's there. He's looking down on us [00:37:46] right now. It's so incredible. Look at [00:37:48] this. How this turned out. This was [00:37:50] supposed to be so dark and cloudy. [00:37:54] Not dark and cloudy, is it? Look at [00:37:55] that. How beautiful that is. There's no [00:37:58] artist that can can capture it as [00:38:01] beautiful as it is today. Wow. It's [00:38:03] amazing. As I said on the day that he [00:38:06] was assassinated, Charlie Kirk was a [00:38:08] martyr for truth and for freedom [00:38:12] and from Socrates to think and to St. [00:38:16] Peter from Abraham Lincoln to Martin [00:38:19] Luther King those who change history the [00:38:22] most and he really did have always risk [00:38:25] their lives for causes they were put on [00:38:28] earth to defend. He was put on earth to [00:38:31] do exactly what he was doing. He didn't [00:38:33] want to waste time. He would have been a [00:38:34] top student at any college in the [00:38:37] country. I know the college as well. He [00:38:38] was he's smarter than the guys here. He [00:38:40] was so smart. But he almost I guess [00:38:43] didn't have the time. It was he knew [00:38:44] what he wanted to do. It wasn't like I [00:38:46] want to sit in a classroom for four [00:38:48] years listening to people teach me [00:38:50] liberal principles because they were [00:38:52] never going to teach him that anyway. [00:38:54] But he didn't have the time. He really [00:38:55] didn't have the time. But every time the [00:38:58] enemies of goodness and virtue try to [00:39:00] silence the voice of righteous and noble [00:39:02] leaders like Charlie, they fail. They [00:39:05] seem to fail ultimately. They look like [00:39:06] they're doing well and then they end up [00:39:08] failing because the truth has been [00:39:11] unrelenting over the years over history. [00:39:15] And people like Charlie, it's just [00:39:17] they've got a power that others don't [00:39:20] have and very few people will ever have. [00:39:23] So today, like those martyrs before him, [00:39:26] Charlie's voice, his message, and his [00:39:28] legacy are stronger and greater than [00:39:31] ever before. They are greater than ever [00:39:33] before. Um, look, this is a horrible [00:39:36] event, but it brought out the greatness [00:39:38] of Charlie. Nothing could have ever [00:39:43] supplanted this. It's incredible the way [00:39:46] people are talking about him [00:39:48] and uh and with great love. I mean, I [00:39:51] read so many stories about some of the [00:39:53] enemies, but I watch the enemies and [00:39:55] it's hard for them to speak badly about [00:39:57] him because they just don't. And then [00:40:00] you do have people in the days since [00:40:02] Charlie's killing. We've seen exactly [00:40:04] why our country so dearly needed his [00:40:08] example. We've watched legions of [00:40:10] far-left radicals resort to desperate [00:40:13] acts of violence and terror because they [00:40:16] know that their ideas and arguments are [00:40:18] persuading no one. They know that [00:40:20] they're failing. They have the devil's [00:40:23] ideology and they're failing and they [00:40:25] know it. They feel it. And they become [00:40:28] violent. They seem to become very [00:40:31] violent on the left. [00:40:33] They've rammed vehicles into federal law [00:40:36] enforcement, fired sniper rifles at ICE [00:40:38] agents and me, you know. But I was I [00:40:43] made a turn at a good time. I made a [00:40:45] turn at a good time. I turned to the [00:40:47] right. [00:40:49] Charlie couldn't believe it actually. He [00:40:50] said, "How the hell did you make that [00:40:52] turn?" I said, "I don't know, but uh [00:40:55] fired rifles and threatened the lives of [00:40:58] our Supreme Court justices, our great [00:41:00] justices. They have to be protected. We [00:41:03] just issued a lot of money, $60 million [00:41:07] to protect the Supreme Court justices. [00:41:11] Very important. We can't let anything [00:41:12] happen. In places of worship, we're [00:41:16] protecting our people." We've seen that [00:41:19] a candidate for attorney general in [00:41:21] Virginia boasted that he would want to [00:41:24] see the Republican legislature, [00:41:27] a legislator in Virginia shot in the [00:41:31] head and to see his children murdered. [00:41:33] He actually said this [00:41:35] and now he continues to run for office [00:41:37] and most people continue to back him. [00:41:39] But he said he wants his man shot. Said [00:41:42] shot in the head and to see his children [00:41:43] murdered and [00:41:47] they keep running. Pretty amazing, [00:41:49] right? That's a bad one. Let's see how [00:41:51] that turns out. But that's a really bad [00:41:53] one. Nobody's heard that one before, [00:41:55] especially in the wake of Charlie's [00:41:57] assassination. Our country must have [00:41:59] absolutely no tolerance for this radical [00:42:01] left violence, extremism, and terror. [00:42:04] we're done with the angry mobs and we're [00:42:06] done we're not going to let our cities [00:42:09] be unsafe. We're going to make sure our [00:42:11] cities are safe. When you have Chicago [00:42:13] where they had 4,000 people murdered [00:42:15] over a very short period of time, 4,000 [00:42:18] people and then we have a governor stand [00:42:21] up and say, "Oh, things are going [00:42:23] swimmingly. No, they're not. We're going [00:42:25] to make Chicago safe just like we're [00:42:27] going to make look what we did in DC. [00:42:30] It's so nice that we started here [00:42:31] because this was one of the most violent [00:42:33] places in the United States. It would be [00:42:36] dangerous to be right out here, but you [00:42:38] couldn't go to a restaurant. The [00:42:40] restaurants were all dying. The whole [00:42:41] place was dying. You'd have these [00:42:43] gorgeous, look at the Washington [00:42:44] Monument over there. You'd have these [00:42:46] gorgeous buildings and monuments and [00:42:48] structures. And people were afraid to [00:42:50] leave their apartment. They were afraid [00:42:52] to go to work. [00:42:54] They'd get into an Uber and they'd feel [00:42:56] safe and then the Uber would be [00:42:58] attacked. They thought they made it to [00:43:00] safety and then the Uber was attacked on [00:43:03] the trip in. But we've done a great job [00:43:06] and now it's considered a totally safe [00:43:08] city. We haven't had problems. Took us [00:43:11] 12 days to make it great. We took out [00:43:13] Pam 1,700 [00:43:15] hard criminals, career criminals in many [00:43:18] cases, but these are hardened criminals. [00:43:20] Many of them came in through the Biden [00:43:22] open borders. We brought them back to [00:43:23] the countries and a couple were so [00:43:25] violent that we put them in jail. We [00:43:27] don't want to take a chance that they [00:43:28] could get back in cuz no matter how good [00:43:30] we do, somebody can sneak in. We They [00:43:32] were so violent and so so bad. One [00:43:35] arrested 28 times. Every time he left [00:43:37] prison, he'd get into a violent [00:43:39] incident. 28 times and we put him away [00:43:44] for a long time. But we're done with the [00:43:47] angry mobs. We're done with it. This is [00:43:49] such an unbelievable [00:43:51] place right now. You take a look where [00:43:53] you can walk down the middle of the [00:43:55] street with your wife or your husband. [00:43:56] Your children can walk. They can walk [00:43:58] alone. It doesn't matter. They can walk [00:44:00] anywhere in Washington and they're safe [00:44:02] now. If this were a year and a half ago, [00:44:05] a year ago, they'd have a serious chance [00:44:08] of being badly hurt, even killed. [00:44:13] Even killed. They'd come in from [00:44:14] Indiana. They'd come in from Iowa. [00:44:16] They'd come from Florida to see their [00:44:19] nation's capital. and somebody would [00:44:21] have to call the parents. I'm sorry, but [00:44:23] your son or your daughter's been killed. [00:44:26] Not anymore. You hear those sirens going [00:44:27] off? That's good. That's a good sound. [00:44:30] That means they either got the bad guy [00:44:32] or they're going to stop the bad guy. [00:44:34] You didn't hear that sound because [00:44:35] nobody wanted to do anything. [00:44:39] Nobody listen to the beauty of that [00:44:40] sound. [00:44:42] Seriously. And that's the real deal [00:44:44] sirens. They're not politically correct [00:44:46] sirens. You hear them? They're about [00:44:48] three miles away. That's great. What a [00:44:50] beautiful sound. They're stopping crime. [00:44:53] That's what they're doing. [00:44:55] So, we're done with the voices of fools. [00:44:58] They're fools and death threats and [00:45:01] we're going to make our cities safe. And [00:45:04] I thought it was Charlie's one of his [00:45:05] biggest dreams was that he couldn't [00:45:07] believe it. Uh Chicago is going to be a [00:45:10] great city again. We've all, you know, [00:45:12] we sent people in there six months ago [00:45:14] and this governor said, "Well, crime is [00:45:16] down." Yeah, that's because we had the [00:45:17] FBI in there for six months just [00:45:20] preparing it for the bigger surge and [00:45:24] they've done a great job. The cash and [00:45:26] the FBI, they've done a great job and [00:45:28] they love doing it. You know, they love [00:45:30] being able to do it. They were [00:45:31] restricted from doing it. They couldn't [00:45:33] do anything and uh now they're totally [00:45:37] unrestricted. They all they have to do [00:45:39] is stop crime and they're doing it. By [00:45:41] the way, Memphis, as you know, you heard [00:45:43] they went in about a week ago. one of [00:45:45] the most dangerous places in the [00:45:47] country. Really in the world. It's not [00:45:49] just the country. They have very few [00:45:50] cities that would compare to some of [00:45:52] these cities. You go to Afghanistan, you [00:45:54] say, "Oh, that's unsafe." Well, the [00:45:56] crime numbers are much better than the [00:46:00] crime numbers in places that we have. [00:46:02] So, Memphis, I understand, is doing [00:46:05] unbelievably in one week. It's like a [00:46:07] different place. And this took 12 days. [00:46:09] And then after that, we just perfected [00:46:11] it. But after 12 days, we had good [00:46:14] safety here. after one month. It's like [00:46:16] uh it's really amazing. And by the way, [00:46:19] restaurants are booming. Restaurants are [00:46:21] opening up. The big problem you have, [00:46:23] you can't get into a restaurant in DC [00:46:25] anymore. So, they're opening up. It's a [00:46:27] beautiful thing to see. It's called [00:46:29] safety. It's called law enforcement and [00:46:32] letting them do their job. And that's [00:46:35] why I said last month that I have [00:46:37] directed the Attorney General and the [00:46:39] Department of Homeland Security to [00:46:41] confront the very real threat of [00:46:43] left-wing terrorism in our country. It's [00:46:45] a real threat. Not when you confront it, [00:46:47] it's not because [00:46:49] uh they're not brave people. In fact, [00:46:52] they're cowards. When you confront them, [00:46:55] they immediately fold. You have to see [00:46:58] them fold. You have to see them crying. [00:47:00] They fold. But it includes dismantling [00:47:04] the networks that fund them and finance [00:47:06] them. And we're finding out who those [00:47:07] networks are. We already know quite a [00:47:09] few of them. [00:47:12] When you see these violent incidents and [00:47:14] then you see people holding this [00:47:16] gorgeous sign with beautiful wood, [00:47:19] beautiful cardboard, wood, everything, [00:47:22] everything's per perfect paint job. And [00:47:25] they're all the same. There are [00:47:26] thousands of them. You know that they [00:47:29] weren't made in the basement out of [00:47:32] love. They were made by anarchists [00:47:35] and in some cases wealthy. I'll probably [00:47:38] find some of my nice friends that are up [00:47:41] there being so nice to me, especially [00:47:43] lately. They're being very nice, but uh [00:47:47] it surprises you who they may be. And [00:47:49] you almost wonder why why would they do [00:47:52] it? But they're hurting our country and [00:47:54] we're really taking it back one by one. [00:47:56] If we didn't go into Los Angeles early [00:47:59] on in the administration, the [00:48:02] commissioner, the chief of police, Los [00:48:04] Angeles said if they didn't go in, we [00:48:06] would have lost our city. Now, they [00:48:08] already lost 25,000 houses to fire [00:48:10] because they wouldn't let the water come [00:48:11] in from the Pacific Northwest, which [00:48:13] they should have done. I said, "You [00:48:15] better do it." They didn't do it. And we [00:48:18] had uh 25,000 homes where they had no [00:48:21] water in their sprinklers. They had no [00:48:22] water in their fire hydrants. It would [00:48:25] have been a different kind of a thing if [00:48:26] they did what they were supposed to do. [00:48:28] We had to break in. We broke in and had [00:48:30] the water come down. They actually they [00:48:32] said for the environment, great. They [00:48:34] lost 25,000 houses. It's uh incredible. [00:48:38] But the commissioner said without the [00:48:39] federal government and President Trump's [00:48:42] intervention, we would have lost the [00:48:43] entire city. And we have the Olympics [00:48:45] going there soon. I got the Olympics. We [00:48:48] have the Olympics. We have the World [00:48:49] Cup. And we have, most importantly, we [00:48:51] have the 250th anniversary of our [00:48:54] country. That's going to be most [00:48:56] important. And all of these things are [00:48:58] happening. And we're going to have safe [00:49:00] cities. We're going to have very, very [00:49:01] safe cities. So, one month after [00:49:03] Charlie's death, we still feel the [00:49:06] terrible shock and the pain of his loss [00:49:09] like just about nobody I can think of. [00:49:12] Charlie Kirk was one of a kind. He was [00:49:14] unstoppable. [00:49:16] And he really was. Boy, when he had an [00:49:17] idea in his head, oh, he was he would [00:49:20] call me, "Sir, please. You haven't done [00:49:22] it yet." Said, "Charlie, relax. Just [00:49:26] relax." He didn't relax. He called me [00:49:28] the next day again. It got it done. But [00:49:31] he was like indomitable and always will [00:49:34] be. He's really irreplaceable. Nobody [00:49:37] going to replace them, but they're going [00:49:39] to do great, but you can't replace that [00:49:41] kind of person. and that kind of talent. [00:49:44] Frankly, the word talent is an important [00:49:46] word, but that kind of talent. So, we [00:49:48] hold his memory in our hearts forever. [00:49:50] Every single day of this administration, [00:49:52] we will continue to carry out the [00:49:55] mission for which he lived. And he [00:49:57] really did. He lived for this country. [00:49:58] He lived for his wife and his family, [00:49:59] but he lived for this country, too. In [00:50:02] Charlie's honor, uh we will continue [00:50:06] like we have been to fight, fight, [00:50:08] fight, and to win win win. We're going [00:50:10] to win so much. [00:50:16] So, [00:50:18] the Presidential Medal of Freedom is a [00:50:20] big deal. You have the Congressional [00:50:22] Medal of Honor, Military, and the [00:50:24] Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is [00:50:27] civilian. And the Presidential Medal of [00:50:30] Freedom is a really big deal. Very few [00:50:32] people get it. Very few people, frankly, [00:50:36] qualify. It's a decision of the [00:50:37] president, but it it's a qualification [00:50:39] that's a very hard one to to get. And I [00:50:43] would like to ask, if I might, the [00:50:45] military aid to read Charles James [00:50:49] Kirk's citation for the Presidential [00:50:52] Medal of Freedom. Thank you very much. [00:50:55] Thank you. [00:50:57] [Applause] [00:51:18] The Presidential Medal of Freedom is [00:51:20] awarded to Charles James Kirk. Accepting [00:51:24] on behalf of Charlie is his wife, Mrs. [00:51:27] Erica Kirk. Charlie Kirk was one of the [00:51:30] most influential American pop political [00:51:33] figures of his generation. At just 18 [00:51:36] years old, he founded Turning Point USA [00:51:39] and grew it into the largest [00:51:40] conservative youth organization in the [00:51:42] nation. For over a decade, he tirelessly [00:51:46] traveled the country, leading a movement [00:51:47] to restore respect for our founding [00:51:50] principles, reawaken our national [00:51:53] identity, and inspire a renewed spirit [00:51:56] of religious devotion. [00:51:59] He was one of the great debaters and [00:52:00] communicators of his time. Despite [00:52:03] receiving repeated threats, he remained [00:52:06] undeterred and modeled courage, logic, [00:52:10] humor, and grace to the next generation. [00:52:14] On September 10th, 2025, [00:52:16] at age 31, Charlie Kirk was assassinated [00:52:20] while addressing a group of students. [00:52:22] The United States honors him as a martyr [00:52:25] for truth and freedom. [00:52:39] [Applause] [00:53:37] Thank you, Mr. President, for honoring [00:53:40] my husband in such a profound and [00:53:43] meaningful way. and thank you for making [00:53:45] this event a priority um with amid the [00:53:50] peace process in the Middle East. Thank [00:53:52] you. Very grateful. Charlie Charl, [00:53:55] excuse me, [00:53:57] Charlie always admired your commitment [00:54:00] to freedom and that's something that [00:54:02] both of you shared. So, thank you. [00:54:07] Your support of our family and the work [00:54:09] that [00:54:10] Charlie devoted his life to will be [00:54:14] something I cherish forever. So, thank [00:54:16] you [00:54:18] >> to our gracious first lady in her office [00:54:20] for making this event possible. Thank [00:54:23] you as well. It's beautiful to vice [00:54:28] president and the lovely Usha fans. Your [00:54:31] friendship has been an unbelievable [00:54:35] encouragement. Thank you. [00:54:37] Um, and to all our friends and family [00:54:40] that are here [00:54:43] and watching from all around the world, [00:54:45] thank you for loving us. Thank you for [00:54:48] praying for us and for believing in what [00:54:51] Charlie believed in. [00:54:53] And to our Turning Point USA staff and [00:54:56] the Charlie Kirk Show staff, we love you [00:55:00] more than you could ever know. [00:55:04] and to the Turning Point USA chapters [00:55:06] that are watching [00:55:08] all across America right now. [00:55:12] You are the heartbeat [00:55:14] of this future and of this movement. [00:55:19] Everything that Charlie built, [00:55:21] you guys are the legacy holders of that. [00:55:24] You are living proof that his mission [00:55:26] did not die with him. [00:55:29] It lives through you. And Charlie always [00:55:32] said, "The next generation will decide [00:55:34] whether freedom endures." [00:55:36] And because of you, I know that freedom [00:55:39] will endure. It will. And today, we're [00:55:44] gathered not only to celebrate Charlie's [00:55:47] birthday, but to honor a truth that he [00:55:49] gave his entire life to defend, and [00:55:52] that's freedom. [00:55:54] The very existence of the Presidential [00:55:57] Medal of Freedom reminds us that the [00:55:59] national interest of the United States [00:56:02] has always been freedom. [00:56:05] Our founders etched it into the preamble [00:56:07] of our Constitution. And those words are [00:56:09] not relics on parchment. [00:56:14] They are a living covenant. [00:56:16] The blessings of liberty are not man's [00:56:19] invention. They are God's endowment. [00:56:23] Charlie lived for those blessings, not [00:56:25] as abstract words, but as sacred [00:56:28] promises. [00:56:30] He used to love to journal about this [00:56:32] topic all the time and and with such a [00:56:36] heart postured of gratitude. And he [00:56:40] believed that liberty was both a right [00:56:42] and a responsibility. [00:56:44] And he used to say, "Freedom is the [00:56:46] ability to do what is right without [00:56:50] fear." [00:56:51] And that's how he lived. He was free [00:56:54] from fear. [00:56:57] He was free from compromise, [00:57:00] free from anything that could enslave [00:57:02] his soul. [00:57:06] His name, Charles, literally means free [00:57:08] man. [00:57:10] And that's exactly who my husband was. [00:57:12] He was a free man. [00:57:15] And from the time I met him, sitting [00:57:18] across from him, being interviewed [00:57:23] on politics and philosophy and theology, [00:57:25] anything that Charlie loved, any topic [00:57:28] he loved, [00:57:30] and [00:57:32] I just saw the fire in his soul, and [00:57:35] there was this [00:57:37] divine restlessness within him that came [00:57:40] from knowing God placed him on this [00:57:42] earth to protect something very very [00:57:44] sacred [00:57:47] for all of us. And he never stopped [00:57:49] fighting for people to experience [00:57:51] freedom. He didn't. [00:57:54] Charlie often said that without God, [00:57:57] freedom becomes chaos. [00:58:00] And he believed liberty could only [00:58:01] survive when anchored to truth. [00:58:05] And I remember in one of his speeches [00:58:09] he told the audience that the opposite [00:58:11] of liberty [00:58:14] isn't law. [00:58:16] He said it's captivity [00:58:18] and that the freest people in the world [00:58:20] are those whose hearts belong to Christ. [00:58:24] But what's so powerful is that Charlie [00:58:26] had the ability [00:58:28] to communicate [00:58:30] so brilliantly across all generations. [00:58:34] And he reminded us that in a world that [00:58:36] tells us freedom is [00:58:39] doing whatever you want to do, the real [00:58:41] freedom [00:58:43] is the power to live freely and to do [00:58:45] what is right. [00:58:48] And in one of his journal entries, he [00:58:49] wrote that he wanted everyone to know [00:58:51] that you can't have liberty without [00:58:53] moral responsibility. [00:58:57] Freedom divorced from faith eventually [00:59:00] just destroys itself. [00:59:03] And what's so fascinating about all of [00:59:05] this is looking back these past 12 years [00:59:09] of Turning Point USA and his mission, [00:59:12] there's almost this veil of of [00:59:15] sacredness. [00:59:18] Because what I realized is that while he [00:59:20] was building an organization, he was [00:59:23] also building a movement. [00:59:26] one that called people back to God, [00:59:30] back to truth, and a movement that was [00:59:33] filled with courage. [00:59:36] And ironically, for a man who impacted [00:59:38] millions, [00:59:40] Charlie never desired to be the center [00:59:43] of attention. He just wasn't. My husband [00:59:45] was not a man of extravagance. [00:59:48] He loved simple but deeply meaningful [00:59:52] things. truly he he loved his late night [00:59:56] walks. [00:59:58] He loved buying more books than he could [01:00:00] ever read because he felt there was no [01:00:02] such thing as a a book budget. [01:00:06] And he loved being able to read to our [01:00:09] kids the same bedtime story on repeat [01:00:12] cuz he knew it was their favorite. And [01:00:14] but to him that was special. [01:00:17] and he loved to sit in the sun on a [01:00:19] Saturday morning with his cup of decaf [01:00:21] coffee and his phone was off because he [01:00:24] was honoring the Sabbath. And for him, [01:00:26] it was that moment to catch his breath [01:00:28] and just [01:00:30] be in peace [01:00:32] because he was unreachable at the [01:00:34] moment. And he preferred quiet [01:00:37] birthdays. [01:00:39] But that never stopped me from telling [01:00:41] him. I told him every single year. I [01:00:42] said, "Baby, [01:00:44] I love your birthday." I said, ' Because [01:00:46] it's a day that God knew the world [01:00:48] couldn't go another day without you. [01:00:56] And so the rhythm of our usual birthday [01:00:58] celebration for him was [01:01:01] mint ice, mint chocolate chip ice cream. [01:01:04] He only had it twice a year on his [01:01:06] birthday in 4th of July. [01:01:10] And um and then after that it was back [01:01:15] to work as usual. But last year his one [01:01:18] birthday wish was to see the Oregon [01:01:20] Ducks play the Ohio State. And they won. [01:01:23] Oregon won that night. And it was by far [01:01:25] one of the most memorable nights of his [01:01:27] birthday experience of his life until [01:01:31] today. [01:01:33] And so honestly, President Trump, I have [01:01:36] spent seven and a half years trying to [01:01:39] find the perfect birthday gift for [01:01:41] Charlie. [01:01:42] And it's so difficult. And those of you [01:01:44] that have spouses or loved ones, you [01:01:46] know how difficult it is sometimes to [01:01:48] buy a gift for someone that you love [01:01:50] because he wasn't a materialistic man. [01:01:52] So that also did not help. But now I can [01:01:55] say with confidence, Mr. President, that [01:01:57] you have given him the best birthday [01:01:59] gift he could ever have. [01:02:11] It's such an honor and the recognition [01:02:14] of [01:02:16] a life lived for defending freedom. And [01:02:18] that's what Charlie fought for until his [01:02:20] last breath. [01:02:23] And it was written across his chest in [01:02:25] those final moments on one of his simple [01:02:27] t-shirts that always carried a message. [01:02:31] And this one [01:02:34] bearing a single word, freedom. [01:02:37] That was the banner over his life. And [01:02:39] that shirt was a declaration. [01:02:42] The same declaration he made in every [01:02:44] speech, every campus visit, every time [01:02:47] he shared the gospel at a church, [01:02:50] every sleepless night that he would [01:02:52] spend praying for the youth of this [01:02:53] nation [01:02:55] and planning for the future of our [01:02:57] country and just oppressing upon them [01:02:59] that when we defend liberty, we defend [01:03:02] the soul of our nation. [01:03:05] My husband never told anyone what to [01:03:07] say. He never did. He never told anyone [01:03:10] what to say. He would just encourage [01:03:12] them to think. He would encourage them [01:03:15] to think outside of the traditional [01:03:17] political labels. [01:03:20] He would want them to think in a way [01:03:22] that was anchored in wisdom and truth. [01:03:26] But he would never tell anyone what to [01:03:28] say. [01:03:31] Charlie wasn't content to simply admire [01:03:33] freedom. He wanted to multiply it. He [01:03:36] wanted to multiply freedom. He wanted [01:03:39] young people to taste it and to [01:03:40] understand it [01:03:42] and defend it. He wanted them to see [01:03:45] that liberty isn't self-indulgence. It's [01:03:48] self-governance [01:03:50] under God. [01:03:51] He wanted them to see that. And every [01:03:54] day I'd see him getting ready for work. [01:03:57] He'd put on his cross necklace. He'd put [01:03:59] his ring on his finger. [01:04:01] And the the boldness in his demeanor was [01:04:05] oh his fearlessness. He wasn't afraid. [01:04:08] He was never afraid. [01:04:10] And his daily actions, whether in office [01:04:12] or on campus or at a church. [01:04:15] It was always without fear. That was his [01:04:17] creed. That is that is how he lived out [01:04:20] every single day. He didn't fear being [01:04:22] slandered. He did not he didn't fear [01:04:24] losing friends. I can tell you that. He [01:04:26] didn't he didn't care. He stood for [01:04:30] truth and stood for freedom. And he did [01:04:32] not everything else was just a noise to [01:04:34] him. [01:04:37] And it's because his confidence in [01:04:38] Christ was absolute. [01:04:40] That's why [01:04:43] there was no limit. No limit to what he [01:04:46] would have sacrificed to defend freedom [01:04:48] for all. And if the moment had come, he [01:04:51] probably would have run for president, [01:04:53] but not out of ambition. He would only [01:04:56] have done it if that was something that [01:04:58] he believed that his country needed from [01:05:00] a servant's heart standpoint. [01:05:03] And Charlie lived only 31 short years. [01:05:06] when I was 32, but on this side of [01:05:09] heaven, but [01:05:13] he lived. He lived every single second. [01:05:16] He lived [01:05:18] filled every single day with purpose. [01:05:20] And he fought for truth when it was [01:05:21] unpopular. [01:05:23] And he stood for God when it was costly. [01:05:25] But that's what we're called to do. [01:05:29] Surprisingly enough, he did pray for his [01:05:30] enemies, which is very hard. But he did. [01:05:34] He did. I He did. [01:05:42] No one else. I mean, I saw him do it. [01:05:44] No, he never did it in front of anyone [01:05:45] else, but I can attest to that. [01:05:48] But he also loved people when it was [01:05:50] inconvenient. [01:05:52] And he ran his race with endurance and [01:05:53] he kept the faith. And now he wears the [01:05:56] crown of a righteous martyr. [01:05:59] And for me and for our children, [01:06:03] the the truth really studies our grief [01:06:05] because [01:06:08] heaven gained what earth could no longer [01:06:10] contain. [01:06:12] A free man made fully free. [01:06:17] To all watching, this is this is not a [01:06:20] ceremony. [01:06:22] This is a commissioning. [01:06:25] And my message is simple. [01:06:28] I want you to be the embodiment [01:06:30] of this medal. [01:06:33] I do. I want you to free yourself from [01:06:36] fear. [01:06:37] I want you to stand courageously in the [01:06:39] truth. [01:06:41] Listen for the still small voice of God. [01:06:46] And remember that while freedom is [01:06:49] inherited in this country, each of us [01:06:52] must be intentional stewards every [01:06:54] single day. [01:06:57] God began a mighty work through my [01:06:59] husband and I intend to see it through. [01:07:02] And the torch is in our hands now. It's [01:07:03] in mine. It's in yours. It's in all of [01:07:05] yours. It's in all the students with [01:07:06] Turning Point USA. [01:07:11] And before I close, I'll share with you [01:07:13] that I asked our daughter [01:07:16] what she would like to say to daddy for [01:07:18] his birthday. [01:07:21] Excuse me. [01:07:29] She said, [01:07:33] "Happy birthday, Daddy. [01:07:36] I want to give you a stuffed animal. [01:07:48] I want you to eat a cupcake with ice [01:07:49] cream. [01:07:51] and I want you to go have a birthday [01:07:53] surprise. [01:07:55] I love you is what she said. [01:07:58] And while our son [01:08:01] is precious, he can't yet speak. [01:08:04] In classic Kirk family fashion, his [01:08:07] actions spoke louder than his words. And [01:08:08] his gift to you, Charlie, and myself, [01:08:10] for that matter, was deciding to become [01:08:13] the man of the house and be fully potty [01:08:15] trained at 16 months. [01:08:18] But Charlie, baby, I know that you're [01:08:20] celebrating in heaven today, but gosh, I [01:08:22] miss you. We miss you and we love you [01:08:26] and we promise we'll [01:08:28] we'll make you proud. And [01:08:32] Charlie's life was proof that freedom is [01:08:34] not a theory. It's a testimony. [01:08:37] He showed us that liberty begins not in [01:08:39] the halls of power, but in the man of a [01:08:41] heart surrendered to God. [01:08:44] And so today, as we honor Charlie with [01:08:47] this [01:08:49] incredible Presidential Medal of Freedom [01:08:52] on his birthday, [01:08:55] I stand here with tears and just humbled [01:08:58] heart and spirit because [01:09:00] his story reminds us all that [01:09:04] to live free is the greatest gift, [01:09:09] but to die free is the greatest victory. [01:09:14] Happy birthday, my Charlie. [01:09:17] Happy freedom day. God bless you. [01:09:25] [Applause] [01:09:29] [Music]