Donald Trump starts 9/11 speech by revealing he's giving Charlie Kirk the Medal of Freedom: 'Will...

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Before he spoke about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Trump announced at the Pentagon that Kirk will posthumously receive the award. &34;We miss him greatly,&34; T

Before he spoke about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Trump announced at the Pentagon that Kirk will posthumously receive the award. "We miss him greatly," Trump said.

Donald Trump starts 9/11 speech by revealing he's giving Charlie Kirk the Medal of Freedom: 'Will have a very big crowd'

Before he spoke about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Trump announced at the Pentagon that Kirk will posthumously receive the award. "We miss him greatly," Trump said.

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September 11, 2025 10:39 a.m. ET

Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk at America Fest 2024. Credit:

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty

- Before he spoke about the victims of 9/11 at the Pentagon, Donald Trump announced he's giving Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

- Trump added that "we miss him greatly," referring to Kirk's Wednesday assassination.

- "I can only guarantee you one thing: We will have a very big crowd. Very, very big," Trump said.

Former reality star and current President of the United States, Donald Trump, began his Thursday morning speech commemorating the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by announcing that he's awarding late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

One day after Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on Wednesday at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University, Trump revealed on location at the Pentagon that he's intent on awarding the polarizing figure with the country's highest civilian honor.

"Before we begin, let me express the horror and grief so many Americans [are feeling] at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk," the 79-year-old said. "Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty, and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika, and his beautiful children. Fantastic people, they are."

Without referencing the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Trump continued, telling the crowd gathered that, "We miss him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie's voice and the courage he put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on."

Charlie Kirk at the White House on May 28, 2025.

Andrew Harnik/Getty

He continued, "I'm pleased to announce that I will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk posthumously the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The date of the ceremony will be announced and I can only guarantee you one thing: We will have a very big crowd. Very, very big."

Trump then carried on, recounting messages those who died in the attacks sent families and friends 24 years ago.

Other figures who've received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the past include Walt Disney, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Fred Rogers, among others.

At Wednesday's event in Utah, Kirk — a staunch Trump supporter — was shot in the neck while answering an audience member's question about gun violence.

MSNBC fires Matthew Dowd over 'insensitive and unacceptable' Charlie Kirk comments

Megyn Kelly fights through tears announcing Charlie Kirk's death during live broadcast

Many conservatives mourned Kirk's death, including Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, who fought back tears on the air upon covering Kirk's assassination.

Still, others pointed out on social media the irony in Kirk's manner of death, with online users resurfacing a 2023 interview in which Kirk, an advocate for gun ownership, said, "It's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights."

Trump paid tribute to Kirk earlier Wednesday, writing on Truth Social that, "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us."

For his controversial comments about the political environment surrounding Kirk's death, MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired by the network on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.

MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired over his comments about Charlie Kirk's death.

Ida Mae Astute/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty; Michael S. Schwartz/Getty

"He's been one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures, in this, who's constantly sort of pushing this hate speech aimed at certain groups. I always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions," Dowd said on the air, though he later apologized via BlueSky. "And I think that is the environment we're in. You can't stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have, and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that's the unfortunate environment we're in."

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The network's president, Rebecca Kutler, subsequently released a statement disavowing Dowd's view.

"During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable," Kutler said via the MSBNC public relations team's X account. "We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise."**

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