Right-Wing Star Charlie Kirk Killed in "Political Assassination"
Who he was and the political world's reactions. Plus: Russian drones violate Poland's airspace. Dems win House seat. RFK's advice for kids. And Kamala Harris on Biden's "recklessness."
For daily news updates and analysis, be sure to follow us on Instagram. To send confidential tips, reach me @Sagecynthia.81 on Signal.
Today brings shocking news that strikes at the heart of our fractured political moment. Charlie Kirk, the influential founder of Turning Point USA and a defining voice of the conservative movement, was killed while speaking at Utah Valley University — doing the very thing that's made him a household name for years.
Kirk wielded significant influence in Trump's orbit, reportedly helping elevate JD Vance and commanding audiences from college campuses to Fox News. His annual conferences drew conservative pilgrims from around the nation.
His assassination is a dangerous escalation in America's political violence. How our political leaders respond to losing this galvanizing figure will give us a clue as to how America confronts political violence. Trump ordered flags be flown at half-staff in Kirk’s honor. More on his death below.
Also today: Global tensions are rising with a new provocation from Russia and unrest from Nepal to France. Illinois Governor Pritzker did not mince words about a troubling Supreme Court ruling. And on any other day this would be big news: RFK Jr. has new advice for your child's health. (Parents: proceed with caution.) We end with a bit of noise.
Here Are Your Headlines
BREAKING: Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed today while discussing mass shooters at an event at Utah Valley University. Allies and political opponents alike are deriding it as “disgusting,” insisting that there is no place for political violence in the USA. At a press conference, law enforcement said a person of interest is in custody. “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote. “No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.”
Turning Point: Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a controversial and influential far-right organization that has been credited with spreading conservatism throughout college and high school campuses and helping get Trump elected. He made a name for himself by debating college kids on campuses (and posting clips of him provoking people to anger online). He defined himself as a “defender of Western civilization,” free markets, and traditional values. Kirk was a fierce opponent of gun control; in 2023, he said “it’s worth [the] cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment.… That is a prudent deal. It is rational.” At times his positions echoed great replacement theory. “We native born Americans are being replaced by foreigners,” Kirk said shortly after the 2024 election. He promised Trump will “liberate” the US from “the enemy occupation of the foreigner hordes.” He supported stronger policing and incarceration, rejected climate science, and was a fierce opponent of social justice movements. He was a father of two.
Political Extremism: Since 2016, political violence has been worsening in the US. Far-right figures have assumed Kirk’s death was an act of leftist political violence. “The Left is the party of murder,” Elon Musk declared. Rep. Nancy Mace (R- SC) blamed a “leftist lunatic” and said “Democrats own what happened today.” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox described the killing as “a political assassination.” Speaker Johnson struck a measured tone, saying, “Political violence must be called out…. We need everyone who has a platform to say this loudly and clearly: we can settle disagreements and disputes in a civil matter.” Former President Barack Obama said, “We don’t know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy.” According to the Anti-Defamation League, roughly 450 murders were committed in the US by political extremists between 2012 and 2022. 75% were connected to right-wing political extremism and 4% to left-wing extremism.
A Note for Parents: If your kids are online there’s a good chance they know Charlie Kirk and his work. Whether they loved or loathed him, his killing could worry them. We’re including this resource if you want advice on talking to your kids about violence. And if you prefer listening, here’s another.
Global Unrest: Political flashpoints are erupting worldwide. Here’s the latest.
Russia’s Greatest Provocation Yet? Russia is escalating tensions to dangerous heights, sending up to 19 drones into Polish airspace. Polish and NATO aircraft and air defense systems shot down the Russian drones and Poland has now invoked NATO Article 4. This move allows Poland to start formal discussions about security threats — a step toward invoking Article 5, which would oblige all NATO members to “assist” Poland if it’s deemed under attack. “This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned. Article 4 has been invoked eight times since NATO was founded in 1949, most recently on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia and Belarus both downplayed the drone incursions.
Escalation: Israel launched an airstrike on Qatar yesterday to kill senior members of Hamas, which acknowledged at least of its five members were killed. Hamas claimed its leaders survived. According to Qatar, the strike also killed a member of the country’s security forces and injured civilians. Qatar has long played a complicated role as an intermediary among various interests in the Middle East – offering safe haven for the leaders of terrorist organizations (Hamas, the Taliban), while also hosting the largest US military base in the region.
Reactions: Qatar fiercely condemned the attack, saying it violated international law and warned of a response. “We have reached a decisive moment,” Qatar’s prime minister warned, “where there must be a response from the entire region to such barbaric actions.” Countries around the world, including Israel’s allies, also condemned the attack.
US Wink and Nod? The White House claims Trump didn’t know until the last moment, and that the US military notified him. But on Sunday Trump posted a pointed message to Hamas. On Truth Social he said that Israel accepted terms of Trump’s peace deal and said he’d “warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!” Hamas’ leaders were targeted two days later. Trump says he “was very unhappy about every aspect” of the strike, insisting, “It was not a decision made by me.” He also says he directed special envoy Steve Witkoff to inform Qatar of the strike; Witkoff did that, but only 10 minutes after the attack began. The US has a strong interest in staying on good terms with Qatar, a major US ally. It hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the US Central Command’s regional headquarters and largest US military base in the Middle East.
Fact Checking the Media: International media is decrying the attack as "unprecedented" — unlike anything they’ve seen from a US ally before. It would seem they’re forgetting precision strikes of the past. One example: the attack on Osama Bin Laden’s compound. The US launched an operation on a terrorist compound inside an allied nation, conducted without warning the host nation. That triggered outrage in the region.
Block Everything: France’s President Emmanual Macron appointed a new prime minister yesterday after his previous one lost a vote of confidence Monday. But his choice, a center-right loyalist, implied he will continue forward with unpopular austerity measures and sparked a nationwide protest movement called Bloquons Tout — “Let’s Block Everything.” They are literally blocking streets, buildings, and more in an effort to disrupt commerce and traffic.
New Details: The Venezuelan boat destroyed by the US military (with 11 people on board) reportedly was not headed to the US at the time. Instead it turned around before it was struck, and the military repeatedly hit the boat even after it was disabled, according to US officials. The Trump administration argued the attack protected the US from “evil narco terrorists trying to poison our homeland.” “If someone is retreating,” a retired judge advocate general for the Navy said, “where’s the ‘imminent threat’ then?”
Into Thin Air: Simmering tensions over wealth inequality, unemployment, and rampant corruption exploded into major protests in Nepal on Monday. It started as a protest over a government ban of 26 social media platforms that morphed into rage about corruption and nepotism in the country. Protesters attacked and burned several government buildings — including the parliament, supreme court, and the seat of government — leaving them in ruins. They chased senior officials through the streets and assaulted them. Nepal’s Prime Minister resigned Tuesday. At least 30 died and 1,000 were injured. Today the army imposed calm, while citizen groups organized to clean up the debris. Gen Z, as the protestors are called, distanced themselves from the violence, claiming their demonstrations were “hijacked” by “opportunists,” a claim echoed by army officials. A nationwide curfew will remain in place until tomorrow.
Past Expiration: Trump’s takeover of DC’s police is set to expire today, 30 days after he declared a “crime emergency” in the nation’s capital. However, DC’s National Guard will remain deployed until at least November 30, and National Guard troops from several Republican states will also remain deployed.
You Win Some, You Lose Some:
The following content, which includes good news for Democrats (and anyone who wants the Epstein files released), Kamala Harris’ harsh words for Biden, why JB Pritzker compared the Supreme Court’s recent ruling to the early days of Nazi Germany, RFK’s 128 recommendations for children, and more, is for paid subscribers. Thank you for your support. It makes our work possible.
 | A guest post by
|