Charlie Kirk posthumously awarded Presidential Medal by Trump; Erika Kirk calls it ‘best birthday gift’ in her speech

US President Donald Trump posthumously presented conservative activist Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday (local time) during a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden. The award, regarded as the highest civilian award in the United States, was conferred on what would have been Charlie Kirk's 32nd birthday.

“We’re here to honor and remember a fearless warrior for liberty, beloved leader who galvanized the next generation like nobody I’ve ever seen before, and an American patriot of the deepest conviction, the finest quality and the highest caliber," Trump said during the medal ceremony, reported AP.

Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, accepted the medal on his behalf. Her emotional speech, delivered through tears and a trembling voice, has since gone viral on social media.

Erika Kirk's speech after accepting the award

As Erika wiped away tears, her voice breaking and sometimes dropping to a whisper, she spoke about her late husband's life, his political convictions and the legacy he left behind.

After accepting the award, she said, "Thank you, Mr President, for honoring my husband in such a profound and meaningful way. And thank you for making this event a priority. Your support of our family and the work that Charlie devoted his life to will be something I cherish forever.”

“Mr. President, I can say with confidence that you have given him the best birthday gift he could ever have,” she said.

“And thank you for making this event a priority amid the peace process in the Middle East," Erika added.

“God began a mighty work through my husband, and I intend to see it through. In the torches in our hands now — it's in mine, it's in yours, it's in all of yours, it's in all the students with Turning Point USA,” she said, per Fox News.

While nearing the conclusion of her emotional speech, she shared a birthday message from their daughter, saying, “Happy birthday, daddy. I want to give you a stuffed animal. I want you to eat a cupcake with ice cream, and I want you to go have a birthday surprise. I love you.”

Watch Erika Kirk's viral speech

Who was Charlie Kirk?

Charlie Kirk, 31, who started out as a teenage conservative activist on college campuses and later became a well-known podcaster, cultural commentator, and strong ally of Trump, was fatally shot last month while attending a public event at a college in Utah. He was a leading voice of the combative, populist brand of conservatism that has come to define the Republican Party in the Trump era. A vocal Christian conservative known for his controversial remarks on issues such as gender, race, and politics, he founded Turning Point USA in 2012.

(With inputs from AP)