During remarks at the Pentagon on the anniversary of 9/11, President Trump revealed plans to posthumously confer the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist. The award, established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to America’s security, national interests, or global peace. Trump described Kirk’s killing as a “heinous assassination,” praising him as a “giant of his generation” and a “champion of liberty.” The president expressed condolences to Kirk’s wife, Erica, and children. Past recipients of the medal include figures such as Steven Spielberg, Muhammad Ali, and Martin Luther King Jr.