President Donald Trump is being ripped on social media after he claimed Tuesday that Charlie Kirk was impressed by the way he dodged a would-be assassin’s bullet.
Trump made the remark at the Medal of Freedom ceremony for Kirk, the conservative activist who was assassinated Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University.
“They fired sniper rifles at ICE agents, and me. But I made a turn at a good time. I made a turn at a good time. I turned to the right. Charlie couldn’t believe it, actually. He said, ‘how the hell did you make that turn. I said, ‘I don’t know,’” Trump told the crowd at the Rose Garden, where he posthumously awarded Kirk the nation’s highest civilian honor.
The president’s comment was condemned by his critics, who said the remarks were in poor taste.
“Insane,” tweeted the Blue Georgia account on X. “He’s bragging about not being murdered at a ceremony honoring a guy who was murdered.”
Tim Miller of The Bulwark, a media organization founded by Never Trumpers, referenced the Trump administration revoking the visas of those who criticized Kirk.
“Marco Rubio might need to denaturalize the president for anti-Kirk speech,” tweeted Miller, referring to the secretary of state.
Rose Benson said Trump’s remarks were “in poor taste, with the president effectively saying, “I’m better than Charlie at turning,” she tweeted.
“I think what Trump is saying here is: ‘I like assassination targets who know how to dodge,’” tweeted Jeet Heer of The Nation.
“Right wingers spent weeks on here policing whether you talked about Charlie Kirk correctly and a month later Trump is at an event with Kirk’s widow like ‘I’m better at dodging bullets,’” added Clue Heywood.
The ceremony coincided with what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday.
In a sign of Kirk’s close ties to the administration, he was the first recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in Trump’s second term. The president also spoke at Kirk’s funeral in September, calling him a “great American hero” and “martyr” for freedom, while Vice President JD Vance accompanied his body home to Arizona on Air Force Two along with Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.
“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.
Of Kirk’s killing, the president said, “He was assassinated in the prime of his life for boldly speaking the truth, for living his faith and relentless fighting for a better and stronger America.”
The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 for individuals making exceptional contributions “to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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