WASHINGTON (WTVO) — As debate continues over whether conservative activist Charlie Kirk should receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, former President Donald Trump has made clear why he believes Kirk deserves the honor: his influence on young Americans.

But that influence remains contested.

Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA at age 18, built a sprawling network of conservative student chapters on more than 3,500 high school and college campuses. Trump and his allies credit him with reshaping youth engagement in politics, particularly by mobilizing young conservatives and helping the GOP make inroads with voters under 30.

“Charlie Kirk gave young people a voice,” Trump told reporters last month. “He helped them stand up to the radical left on campus and fight for America.”

Trump aw

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