Trump to award the Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk posthumously

President Donald Trump will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a White House ceremony on Tuesday, the date coinciding with what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday. The presentation, originally scheduled for the East Room, was moved outdoors to the Rose Garden to accommodate a larger crowd, the White House said.

Trump announced in September that he intended to grant Kirk the nation’s highest civilian honor, saying at a ceremony marking the Sept. 11 attacks, "I am pleased to announce that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk posthumously the Presidential Medal of Freedom." He added that Kirk was "a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people." The presentation is scheduled for 4 p.m., and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, is expected to accept the medal on his behalf.

Kirk, founder and chief executive of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA and a prominent supporter of Trump, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University. Authorities said a single assailant fired from a nearby building. Investigators arrested...