{"id":199208,"date":"2025-10-15T15:31:43","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T15:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/15\/erika-kirks-speech-at-medal-of-freedom-ceremony-sparks-controversy\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T15:31:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T15:31:43","slug":"erika-kirks-speech-at-medal-of-freedom-ceremony-sparks-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/15\/erika-kirks-speech-at-medal-of-freedom-ceremony-sparks-controversy\/","title":{"rendered":"Erika Kirk&#8217;s Speech at Medal of Freedom Ceremony Sparks Controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>As expected, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/10\/erika-kirk-vs-bad-bunny-turning-point-usa-announces-rival-super-bowl-halftime-show\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom <\/a>to the late Charlie Kirk on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>The ceremony took place on what would have been Kirk\u2019s 32nd birthday, and his widow, Erika Kirk, accepted the medal on his behalf.<\/p>\n<p>The<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/10\/erika-kirk-vs-bad-bunny-turning-point-usa-announces-rival-super-bowl-halftime-show\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> newly appointed CEO of Turning Point USA<\/a>, Erika has become a divisive figure in the weeks since her husband\u2019s death, with some praising her courage and others accusing her of rank opportunism.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Erika Kirk, wife of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, speaks after U.S. President Donald Trump (L) posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. \" class=\"wp-image-537699 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241072855-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Erika Kirk, wife of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, speaks after U.S. President Donald Trump (L) posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Alex Wong\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cGod began a mighty work through my husband, and I intend to see it through,\u201d Erika said at the event. \u201cThe torch is in our hands now. It\u2019s in mine. It\u2019s in yours. It\u2019s in all of yours. It\u2019s in all the students with Turning Point USA.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As with her address at last month\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/09\/erika-kirk-criticized-for-laughing-smiling-just-weeks-after-charlie-kirks-murder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charlie Kirk memorial service<\/a>, Erica\u2019s comments at the Medal of Freedom ceremony left observers divided.<\/p>\n<p>Many praised her candor, while others were put off by what they saw as promotions of the Kirks\u2019 business interests and an inappropriately lighthearted tone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMay you one day know the kind of happiness Erika Kirk found in \u2018widowhood,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MorganC000\/status\/1978226581521703035\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one X user wrote<\/a>, alongside a collage of photos of Erika laughing and smiling.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverything she says and does looks like a performance,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NezahualDoomer2\/status\/1978214012635496789\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">another added<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to late conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he presents the Medal to his wife Erika Kirk (L) during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. \" class=\"wp-image-537698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to late conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he presents the Medal to his wife Erika Kirk (L) during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. \" class=\"wp-image-537698 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241073444-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to late conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he presents the Medal to his wife Erika Kirk (L) during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cErika Kirk is to grieving, as Trump\u2019s ear is to gunshot wound,\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/unfamericatour\/status\/1978443297698758792\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> a third chimed in<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For his part, Trump delivered a speech that veered between solemn remembrance of Kirk and firebrand rhetoric about recent controversies, including the White House\u2019s decision to deploy National Guard troops in US cities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey have the devil\u2019s ideology, and they\u2019re failing. And they know it, they feel it, and they become violent,\u201d Trump said, referring to his political opponents.<\/p>\n<p>In one of the ceremony\u2019s most odd moments, Trump admitted that he nearly rescheduled the event but had a last-minute change of heart.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was going to call Erika and say, \u2018Erika, could you maybe move it to Friday?\u2019\u201d he told the crowd.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to late conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he presents the Medal to his wife Erika Kirk (L) during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. \" class=\"wp-image-537700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to late conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he presents the Medal to his wife Erika Kirk (L) during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. \" class=\"wp-image-537700 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241067248-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to late conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he presents the Medal to his wife Erika Kirk (L) during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on October 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>From there, the president revealed that Charlie once praised him for dodging a sniper\u2019s bullet at a 2024 campaign event.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI made a turn at a good time. I made a turn at a good time, I turned to the right. Charlie couldn\u2019t believe it, actually,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/ca.news.yahoo.com\/donald-trump-says-charlie-kirk-134340115.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trump told the crowd<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe said, \u2018How the hell did you make that turn?\u2019 I said \u2018I don\u2019t know.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The president also challenged Erika\u2019s claim that Charlie was a man who \u201cloved his enemies,\u201d prompting Erika to reply:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe did pray for his enemies. I saw him do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Erika has not spoken publicly about the criticism surrounding her recent appearances.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/10\/erika-kirks-speech-at-medal-of-freedom-ceremony-sparks-controversy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 3 minutes As expected, Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Charlie Kirk on Tuesday. The ceremony took place on what would have been Kirk\u2019s 32nd birthday, and his widow, Erika Kirk, accepted the medal on his behalf. The newly appointed CEO of Turning Point USA, Erika has become [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":199209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-199208","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}