In the days since far-right propagandist Charlie Kirk was murdered, Donald Trump, the Republican Party, and its media organs have ramped up the rhetoric against their political opponents—even calling for imprisonment.

The reaction lays bare their massive hypocrisy about political violence.

WHAT’S GOING ON: Despite law enforcement still not knowing the political background of the alleged shooter (he was registered unaffiliated, but never voted) or a possible motive (he’s not talking to authorities), Trump and allies have indiscriminately blamed “the radical left.”

It started the night Kirk was shot: Trump used an Oval Office address to blame “radical left” rhetoric for the killing.

It continued even after the alleged shooter turned out to be another white guy. In an interview with NBC, Trump said the left was preventing the nation from healing.

He went on to say liberal billionaire George Soros should be in prison. (Soros has absolutely nothing to do with this story, btw.)

Other Republicans have joined the chorus. Utah governor Spencer Cox went on Meet the Press to declare the alleged shooter a radical leftist, but refused to offer any proof.

Meanwhile, there are persistent rumors online that he could have actually been further to the right of Kirk.

THE HYPOCRISY: A simple comparison of Trump’s actions after right-wing political violence and this alleged “left wing” crime shows how big of a hypocrite Trump is.

After Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were gunned down in their home in June, the president only issued a brief statement.

The statement condemned violence in general but not political violence. (Authorities knew within hours those killings were politically motived—the shooter had a list of other prominent progressives he wanted to kill.)

Trump also refused to go the funeral or call Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, calling it a “waste of time.” Trump has said he plans to go to Kirk’s funeral.

Not to mention, in that Oval Office speech Wednesday condemning political violence, Trump listed acts of violence—but did not include the attack on Hortman or the attempted attack on Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania in April.

ALSO: In 2023, Trump openly mocked the violent attack of Nancy Pelosi’s husband by a right-wing nut job.

Campaigning in California, Trump said:

AND LET’S NOT FORGET: After his political supporters staged an attempted coup at the capitol building in the most horrific way on January 6, 2021, Trump welcomed the violence.

After being re-elected president, on his first day in office he pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly everyone involved, even the most violent offenders—even those who attacked police officers.

This of course, follows a long history of encouraging violence at his own rallies.

BOTTOM LINE: This is not a president who condemns political violence. This is a president who welcomes and encourages it—but only if it’s against his own enemies.

Trump’s calls for peace ring hollow because they are hollow. He is a violent, egotistical maniac who will do anything for power and money—and wants his supporters to do the same.

GO DEEPER:

In a moment of rare defiance from the Hollywood stage, ‘Hacks’ co-star Hannah Einbinder used her Emmy acceptance speech to denounce ICE and demand freedom for Palestinians last night. Einbinder, a queer Jewish actress, has long criticized the U.S.-funded genocide in Gaza, and her words cut through the glitz of the ceremony with a raw insistence on justice. At a time when most celebrities play it safe, her message stood as a reminder that art and politics cannot be neatly separated when lives are on the line. Watch the video here.

While MSNBC hosts are getting fired for calling out Charlie Kirk’s hate, Fox News hosts are getting a free pass—if they give a half-hearted apology. Last week, Fox and Friends host Brian Kilmeade openly called for the execution of homeless people struggling with mental illness. He later brushed it off as a “callous remark.” The episode lays bare Fox’s role in normalizing cruelty against the poor while punishing anyone who dares to challenge right-wing extremism. Full story from the AP.

How is this not already illegal? Sen. Elizabeth Warren will introduce a bill today to ban employers from using credit checks in the hiring process, a practice that nearly half of U.S. companies still use. Warren argues the system unfairly locks people—especially women and people of color—out of jobs over medical debt or unemployment gaps, reinforcing inequality while doing nothing to predict job performance. Full story from The Guardian.

New analysis shows Donald Trump’s tariffs are effectively a massive tax hike on working families, wiping out the modest benefits of his much-hyped tax cuts. According to Yale’s Budget Lab, the average household will pay about $2,300 more from tariff-driven price increases—nearly three times the $800 average benefit from the GOP’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The wealthiest 10% will still come out ahead, while the poorest Americans will be hit hardest, exposing once again how Trump’s economic policies protect the rich and punish everyone else. Full story from CNN.

On Thursday we asked, given MAGA’s open call for war after the murder of Charlie Kirk, who is most responsible for political violence in the U.S.? It was a landslide.

Noname voted the right: “Look back all the wars were started by Republicans and ended with the Democrats being in charge. All the hate is with the Republicans. This is not the Republican party that I grew up with.”

Nolittlevoice also voted the right: “Their response to Kirk's killing vs their laughter and sick jokes to Pelosi's husband and Melissa Hortman's is another example of it - and the "president's" laughter about the latter twos while he wants to present a Medal of Freedom to the first says it all.”

Leo had a great point: “1967…Kent State, All the Civil Rights murders, Martin Luther King Jr., Shirtwaist Fire 1911…. All Capitalistic Republicans!"

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