{"id":2499268,"date":"2025-10-15T15:32:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T19:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-considered-kirk-freedom-ceremony-non-negotiable-despite-middle-east-trip-leavitt\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T15:33:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T19:33:28","slug":"trump-considered-kirk-freedom-ceremony-non-negotiable-despite-middle-east-trip-leavitt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-considered-kirk-freedom-ceremony-non-negotiable-despite-middle-east-trip-leavitt\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump considered Kirk Freedom ceremony &#8216;non-negotiable&#8217; despite Middle East trip: Leavitt"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-considered-kirk-freedom-ceremony-non-negotiable-despite-middle-east-trip-leavitt%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2499268&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former President Donald Trump prioritized presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk, calling the ceremony &#8220;non-negotiable,&#8221; despite a brief <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-ambassador-visits-taiwan-for-first-trip-since-1979\/\" title=\"U.S. Ambassador Visits Taiwan for First ... Since 1979\">diplomatic trip<\/a> to the Middle East. Trump traveled to Israel and Egypt following a ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza, aiming to support his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/world-awaits-hamas-response-as-isolated-terrorists-run-out-of-options\/\" title=\"World awaits Hamas response as isolated terrorists run out of options\">20-point peace plan<\/a>. He returned early to personally award Kirk the Medal of Freedom posthumously on what would have been Kirk&#8217;s 32nd birthday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized Trump&#8217;s strong respect and affection for Kirk, noting that few occasions would prompt Trump to cut a trip short. During the Rose Garden ceremony, trump highlighted that he &#8220;raced back halfway around the globe&#8221; to ensure his attendance, underscoring the importance he placed on honoring Kirk.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump considered Kirk Freedom ceremony &lsquo;non-negotiable&rsquo; despite Middle East trip: Leavitt<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2373889\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a> deemed the Medal of Freedom ceremony honoring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/charlie-kirk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charlie Kirk<\/a> a &ldquo;non-negotiable&rdquo; item on his busy agenda this week, which included a trip to the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>Trump left Washington on Sunday evening to fly to Israel and Egypt for a rapid diplomatic trip following the ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza, based on his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3829269\/trump-20-point-plan-end-war-gaza\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">20-point peace plan<\/a>. Trump returned early in the morning on Tuesday to make sure he was back in time to posthumously award the Presidential <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3848143\/trump-charlie-kirk-birthday-gift-medal-freedom-award-erika\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Medal of Freedom<\/a> to Kirk on what would have been his 32nd birthday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3851930\/house-democrats-eye-measures-condition-dhs-funding-to-ice-reforms\/\">Homeland Security Democrats eye measures to condition DHS funding to ICE reforms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3851599\/scott-bessent-federal-government-held-hostage-chuck-schumer-poll-numbers\/\">Bessent says federal government held &#8216;hostage&#8217; by Schumer&#8217;s poll numbers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3851864\/murders-violent-crime-fall-virginia-report\/\">Murders, violent crime fall in Virginia: Report<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;We were gone for, I think it was 36 total hours. When I got home at 3:30 in the morning, my husband said, &lsquo;I can&rsquo;t believe you just went all the way to Africa and back in like one day.&rsquo; But we did it for Charlie, and I&rsquo;m so glad we did,&rdquo; White House press secretary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/karoline-leavitt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Karoline Leavitt<\/a> said.<\/p>\n<p>White House officials hoped they would not have to delay the preplanned ceremony for Kirk when Trump set off for the Middle East on Sunday, Leavitt said on the <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/i\/broadcasts\/1rmxPvpzpQMGN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charlie Kirk Show<\/a> on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The President said it was a non-negotiable for him, and I think that really speaks to how much he loved and respected Charlie,&rdquo; Leavitt said. &ldquo;There are very few people in this world that the president would really cut a trip short [for], because there was much more we could have done.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3848143\/trump-charlie-kirk-birthday-gift-medal-freedom-award-erika\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>TRUMP GIVES CHARLIE KIRK &lsquo;BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT&rsquo; WITH MEDAL OF FREEDOM AWARD, ERIKA KIRK SAYS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Trump said during the ceremony that he &ldquo;raced back halfway around the globe&rdquo; to be there for the Rose Garden medal presentation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Only hours ago, I returned from a very historic trip to secure peace in the Middle East,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;I would not have missed this moment for anything in the world.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump called Kirk Freedom ceremony &#8216;non-negotiable&#8217; despite Middle East trip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3976,"featured_media":2499269,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/leavitt_trump.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[65280,50576,64853,3634],"class_list":["post-2499268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-kirk-freedom-ceremony","tag-leavitt-2","tag-middle-east-trip","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/leavitt_trump.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2499268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3976"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2499268"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2499268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2499273,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2499268\/revisions\/2499273"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2499269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2499268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2499268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2499268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}