Department of Education hangs Charlie Kirk banner outside DC building
Department of Education hangs Charlie Kirk banner outside DC building
Melina Khan, USA TODAYMon, March 2, 2026 at 5:38 PM UTC
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The face of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk is among several banners now hanging outside the Department of Education's building in Washington, DC.
In addition to the banner of Kirk, others installed on March 1 include historic figures like Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr. and Catharine Beecher.
Alongside the notable faces are also banners referencing America's 250th anniversary, including one that reads, "empowering our states to tell the stories of our heroes in American education."
Kirk, 31, an ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, has been charged with aggravated murder and other felonies in Kirk's death.
"We are proud to honor visionary leaders whose contributions have shaped the future of education for generations. Their work reflects Benjamin Franklin’s timeless belief that 'an investment in knowledge pays the best interest,'" Savannah Newhouse, the Education Department's press secretary, said in a statement to USA TODAY.
The statement continued, "As our country marks an historic 250th milestone, this moment invites us all to join in the pursuit of fostering educational opportunity that empowers every learner to rise, contribute, and help shape a brighter future for generations yet to come."
1 / 0See government buildings where Trump has left his markA pedestrian passes by a banner showing an image of US President Donald Trump hangs on the side of a US Department of Agriculture building in Washington, DC, on May 16, 2025.
More banners: See Trump banners adorn DOJ headquarters, more federal buildings
See Charlie Kirk banner hanging outside Department of Education
The banners of several prominent figures, including Kirk, are hanging outside the Department of Education's building on Maryland Avenue in Washington, DC.
In addition to banners of Kirk, Franklin, King and Beecher, there are also banners displayed of Booker T. Washington and Anne Sullivan. Except for Kirk, all of the figures had prominent careers as teachers or academics.
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A banner with Charlie Kirk's image is seen on the outside of the Department of Education on March 1, 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Other posters hanging alongside them include slogans like, "Recharting the course toward a brighter future for American education" and "turning the page to the next 250 years of academic excellence."
See the banners in the video at the top of this story.
Trump banners hang outside other government buildings
The new banners outside the Education Department facility come after large displays of President Donald Trump were installed at other government buildings.
One such banner of Trump was recently hung at the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, DC on Feb. 19.
The banner of Trump at the DOJ features a large portrait of the president's face alongside the phrase "Make America Safe Again."
"We are proud at this Department of Justice to celebrate 250 years of our great country and our historic work to make America safe again at President Trump’s direction," the Justice Department told USA TODAY in a Feb. 20 statement.
Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlie Kirk banner hangs at Education Department. See it here.
Source: “AOL Breaking”
