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President Donald Trump is set to posthumously award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom on what would have been his 32nd birthday.
Turning Point USA COO Tyler Bowyer, a longtime friend of Kirk, said the moment will be both meaningful and emotional.
“It is an emotional moment because we know how deserved it is,” Bowyer told “Fox & Friends” Tuesday.
“Obviously, not having our friend there is going to be something I think that will be tough.”
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President Donald Trump walks onto the stage after being introduced by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at the Turning Point Action conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 15, 2023. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Bowyer is expected to attend the ceremony at the White House alongside Kirk’s widow and new Turning Point USA CEO, Erika Kirk.
Charlie Kirk was killed on September 10 on the campus of Utah Valley University. He left behind two young children and would have turned 32 on Tuesday.
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Bowyer praised Erika Kirk for her resilience in the wake of her husband’s death.
“Watching Erika and the strength that she has as she’s taking on raising her family by herself and putting the entire organization of Turning Point on her back has been just something to really awe at,” he said.
President Donald Trump greets Erika Kirk, widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, during a public memorial at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21. (Patrick T. Fallon/Getty Images)
Country music star Cole Swindell is also honoring Kirk’s legacy, releasing his new single “Make Heaven Crowded.” Swindell told the hosts he was inspired to release the song after hearing Erika Kirk’s address after her husband’s death in which she mentioned the phrase.
“My goodness, am I so humbled to witness Charlie … alongside Jesus right now doing what you always wanted to do. Making heaven crowded, right? That’s what it’s all about. Making heaven crowded,” she said during a televised address in September.
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Swindell said her comments made him “take a look in the mirror” and write a song that honored Kirk’s legacy.
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, greets supporters during an event in San Diego on May 1. (Michael Ho Wai Lee/Getty Images)
Trump, who has previously called Kirk a “friend,” is returning to the U.S. for the ceremony after a trip to the Middle East following the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
“It’s not easy for me to get back. It’s a very quick trip, but I’ll be making two major stops, and then I’ll be on the plane trying to get back in time for Charlie,” Trump said Friday.
Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA, an organization focused on promoting conservative values among young Americans.
His outspoken style and frequent campus debates over freedom, faith, and family values made him a familiar, and sometimes polarizing, figure among students.
“It’s been quite the ride since I met Charlie Kirk that many years ago,” said Bowyer, who has served as the organization’s COO for more than a decade.
“A young guy who was the most brilliant speaker that I had ever met could really capture a room within moments and change hearts and minds. And I saw that on a face-to-face basis with every college kid that he had ever met when we were on campus.”
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