A dangerous moment for the US after Kirk shooting

The David Pakman Show - September 15, 2025

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The murder of Charlie Kirk has been condemned across the political spectrum, highlighting a stark contrast in responses to violence. While left-leaning voices consistently denounce harm, right-wing figures have often mocked, dismissed, or even celebrated tragedies affecting their opponents. This pattern suggests that cruelty has become a defining feature of right-wing culture rather than an anomaly.

The shooter’s background demonstrates that a seemingly “perfect” MAGA upbringing—a Christian household, two parents, a father in law enforcement, a rural or suburban environment, and access to guns—did not prevent him from committing violence. Attempts to attribute the attack solely to mental illness, radicalization, or personal grievances overlook the systemic problem of easy access to firearms and the cultural normalization of guns. Claims that a short stint in college during COVID somehow radicalized him are equally implausible, as a single virtual semester could not outweigh nearly two decades of a conservative, pro-gun upbringing.

Donald Trump’s response to the tragedy quickly turned political, claiming the left was under investigation for supposedly influencing the shooter while disregarding the well-documented reality that most political violence in the U.S. comes from the right. Any semblance of mourning was short-lived, as he soon pivoted to boasting about the new White House ballroom.

Eric Trump framed the tragedy as proof of victimhood for the MAGA movement, claiming it had “awoken a sleeping enemy.” This rhetoric uses grievance as justification for potential retaliation, mirroring the tactics seen on January 6 and creating a climate of fear that could radicalize followers and threaten independent voices.

Finally, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade suggested “involuntary lethal injection” for homeless people, sparking a brief apology but little outrage. This reflects a broader trend of disinhibition in right-wing media, fueled by extreme rhetoric and a social Darwinist view of poverty, where lack of housing or healthcare is treated as personal failure.

On today’s bonus show:

The right rushes to blame the left for Charlie Kirk’s assassination while excusing Trump’s own incendiary rhetoric. And MSNBC fired Matthew Dowd for inartful remarks about Kirk, while Fox News only made Brian Kilmeade apologize after he suggested killing homeless people.

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