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As we beforehand reported, Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Charlie Kirk on Tuesday.
The ceremony occurred on what would have been Kirk’s thirty second birthday.
The occasion largely went off with out a hitch, however there have been some uncommon moments, together with one through which Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, felt the necessity to right Trump on the character of her husband’s character.
The sudden second of rigidity rapidly went viral with many social media customers expressing confusion over the odd scene.
When addressing the gang eventually month’s Charlie Kirk memorial in Arizona, Erika described her late husband as a person who inspired “love for our enemies and love for individuals who persecute us.”
Maybe jokingly, Trump pushed again on the characterization throughout his tackle on Tuesday.
“He was capable of combat those who had been enemies, and he didn’t essentially love these enemies a lot,” the president mentioned, including:
“You realize, I heard he cherished his enemies, and I mentioned, ‘Wait a minute, is that the identical Charlie that I knew?’ I’m undecided. However I didn’t need to get into it.”
US President Donald Trump and Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, take part in a Medal of Freedom Ceremony for late US right-wing activist Charlie Kirk within the Rose Backyard of the White Home in Washington, DC, on October 14, 2025. (Picture by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Picture by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)The remark prompted Erika to answer, “He did pray for his enemies. I noticed him do it.”
The second of rigidity handed rapidly, however issues took one other unusual flip shortly thereafter, when Trump revealed that he had initially wished to postpone the ceremony however had a last-minute change of coronary heart.
“I used to be going to name Erika and say, ‘Erika, may you possibly transfer it to Friday?’” he informed the gang.
Some observers had been additionally stunned by Trump’s resolution to debate his political agenda and the assassination try he survived final yr.
Erika Kirk, spouse of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, turns into emotional as she speaks after U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk throughout a ceremony within the Rose Backyard of the White Home on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Picture by Alex Wong/Getty Photographs)“I made a flip at a superb time. I made a flip at a superb time, I turned to the precise,” Trump mentioned.
“Charlie couldn’t imagine it, really. He mentioned, ‘How the hell did you make that flip?’ I mentioned, ‘I don’t know.’”
All in all, it was an uncommon occasion that prompted questions on Trump’s relationship with each Erika Kirk and with the evangelical element of his base.
It gained’t be the final time that Trump talks about Charlie Kirk — however he’ll possible attempt to keep away from such awkwardness in future discussions.
