President Donald Trump on Tuesday posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk, honoring the late activist on what would have been his 32nd birthday. The ceremony, held in the recently renovated White House Rose Garden, marked a deeply emotional moment for the conservative movement.

The medal — the highest civilian honor in the United States — was accepted by Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, who delivered a heartfelt tribute to her husband’s life and legacy. Fighting back tears, she shared a poignant message from their 3-year-old daughter, who wanted to send her father a birthday surprise.

“Happy birthday daddy,” Erika recounted her daughter saying. “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.”

President Trump praised Kirk’s unwavering commitment to conservative principles and youth activism, calling him a “fearless warrior for liberty” and “an American patriot of the highest caliber.”

“Five weeks ago, our nation was robbed of this extraordinary champion,” Trump said. “Charlie Kirk galvanized a generation like no one else, and he will never be forgotten.”

Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on September 10 during a speech at Utah Valley University, the first stop on his “American Comeback Tour.” The event was aimed at engaging college students in debates around controversial political and social issues.

Trump was among the first public figures to announce Kirk’s death and vowed the following day to honor him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He described Kirk at the time as “a giant of his generation.”

Tuesday’s ceremony served as both a tribute and a political rallying cry, with Trump underscoring Kirk’s influence among young conservatives and promising to continue advancing the causes Kirk championed.