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Tuesday, September 16, 2025
What I Saw in the Oval Office as Trump Learned of Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
In an astounding coincidence, as the news broke that Charlie Kirk, founder and head of the enlightened traditionalist movement Turning Point USA, had been assassinated, I was sitting in the Oval Office of the White House across the Resolution desk from the President of the United States. Although I have known Mr. Trump for more than 25 years and have generally been in touch with him throughout that period, I had not seen him in person for some years. I have written approximately 2 million words about him, almost all of it reasonably or unambiguously favourable, though not uncritically so, mainly on U.S. internet sites, as well as a book that was appreciative of him, though no hagiography (“A President Like no Other”).
I had developed a few ideas about a couple of his programs, in emails and by telephone, and he suggested I visit him. Wednesday, Sept. 10, was the day. As I was arriving at the White House visitors’ entrance I saw on my mobile phone that Charlie Kirk had been wounded in an assassination attempt. I did not really know him and was only generally conversant with his Turning Point USA movement, and from the initial wording of the bulletin I hopefully assumed that he would recover. There was no sign of alarm as I sat in the outer anteroom with a number of distinguished fellow visitors, including a prominent senator and the well-known economist Arthur Laffer, whom I had not seen in 30 years. A few friends in the administration came and went and we exchanged greetings, and the time passed pleasantly.
The outer anteroom for the Oval Office is rectangular and has doors on three walls, and in the middle of what I assume was a typical weekday afternoon, an astonishing number of people were constantly coming and going through all three doors, one the entrance and the other two into parallel inner anterooms to the Oval Office. The ambience is one of constant and purposeful activity in a shared and good-spirited cause. Occasionally, it happened that successive doors were simultaneously ajar, and the familiar voice of the chief occupant would be heard, good-humored but authoritative. A pleasing aesthetic aspect, as usual in Trump matters, is the presence of very capable and attractive youngish ladies on the presidential staff.
Although I had been to the White House a number of times before, it was in groups and in reception rooms. Here, it was possible to see how the private office functioned, and it was clear the president’s staff is devoted to him personally and that he, unlike some holders of great offices that I have known, is unfailingly polite to staff. In this he reminded me of Margaret Thatcher, who frequently beat up her cabinet ministers because she thought they could and should defend themselves if they were any good (and if they weren’t she sacked them), but never forgetting her own modest socioeconomic beginnings, she was unfailingly courteous to people in lesser positions.
After about an hour I was invited to leapfrog the crowded intermediate waiting room and was cordially greeted by my eminent host. He was looking trim, fit, and completely undaunted by the requirements of his position. In my observations, going back to the Eisenhower years, U.S. presidents either enjoy their position and get on top of it or are worn down by it and the presidency imposes itself upon them. Donald Trump is distinctly in the first category. We were briefly joined by Art Laffer who wanted a photograph taken of himself with the president in front of the painting of President Reagan to the right of the president’s desk. After a few pleasantries and reflections, Laffer departed and the president said that Charlie Kirk had died. |
I condoled with him, and when he indicated that it would be appropriate, I started into my reasons for being there. He listened intently and made a few comments and we were shortly joined by the vice president, J.D. Vance, known even by me to be a close friend of Charlie Kirk. He was reporting on the initial results of the investigation. My offer to excuse myself was declined and there followed a surrealistic and unforgettable scene: the president and vice president lamented their deceased friend, and I was likely almost as improbable a third party as could be found to participate in such an exchange. In the circumstances, I only commented when my opinion was asked.
Especially in the light of ungenerous imputations of motives to both men in their public remarks in ensuing days, I would be remiss not to emphasize that neither the president nor the vice president expressed any sentiment except sorrow at the death of their friend and sympathy for his wife and family and close associates, and calm, deep concern at the extent of violence in the country. There was not a vengeful or partisan word or even an ill-tempered one. Both men were absolutely exemplary, and in fact somewhat inspiring in their sole preoccupation with the horribly premature and violent death of a talented friend and supporter, and their shared concern at the frequency of recourse to political violence in America and much of the Western world.
The only reference to the immediate political implications of this tragic event was by me when I said that this was such a ghastly episode it might have a salutary effect in sobering public discourse and discouraging violence. This elicited a non-committal response. All Americans, whatever their political leanings, should be reassured that the two holders of the national offices of the United States, in a poignant hour of great sacrifice and sadness, had no thoughts except charity for the bereaved and concern for the country. It was my sad privilege to be a witness to this, and the completely spontaneous tastefulness and generosity of the thoughts of the president and vice president did not reduce but somewhat ameliorated the deep sadness of the occasion.
The vice president departed and the president invited me to finish what I'd come to say, which I did with uncharacteristic economy of words and got up to leave. He said he had then to telephone Mrs. Kirk.
I was staying near the White House and walked back, reflecting on the fortuitously fine qualities of America’s leaders, whatever controversies they may arouse on other grounds. And for the 31-year-old Charlie Kirk, whom I knew to be a committed and patriotic Christian, I could only wish him eternal rest with the Prince of Peace as he reposes in the honoured memory of the great nation for which he made the highest and noblest sacrifice. |
https://list.mailexpress.com/archive/HxAgsZbvnK~331/KJNmJy00sx~331/Y01LCSDPlw~331
The New Poll That Proves Liberals Are Growing Dangerously Comfortable With Political Violence
While the vast majority of Americans continue to reject political violence without quantification, a staggeringly large percentage of those identifying as liberals feel it can be justified and even celebrated.
A new poll conducted in the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk shows the American left is growing dangerously comfortable with the idea of political violence as a tool to achieve its goals.
While left-leaning media demand the right tone down their rhetoric, a survey conducted by YouGov shows it's the resistance party that needs to engage in some serious introspection.
YouGov's polling addressed the simple matter of emotions when it comes to witnessing political violence, something that has become a significant issue as the left openly celebrates Kirk's death on gutter-feeding social media sites such as BlueSky.
A solid 34 percent of respondents identifying as either very or somewhat liberal said it is "always or usually acceptable" to be happy about the death of a political figure they disagree with. Comparatively, just 7 percent of conservatives and 7 percent of moderates believe it's okay to be happy about such a death.
Perhaps worse than simply having dark thoughts such as those, another 42 percent of either very liberal individuals or those simply identifying as liberal believe violence can somewhat be justified. Here again, the numbers are drastically lower for those identifying as conservatives (9 percent) or moderate (9 percent).
Here's the thing - the 7 percent and 9 percent of conservatives in that poll is disgusting enough. But you're talking about a significantly higher portion of the American left that believes political violence is perfectly cool. When it does happen, it's okay to be happy about it.
Liberalism is a mental disorder. Liberalism is a cancer in this country. And liberalism kills.
It should also be noted that the group with the lowest percentage in both of those questions is the "very conservative" individuals (3 percent for both). A fact that crushes the narrative that right-wing extremism is the instigator of political violence.
As is often the case, the legacy media live in an alternate reality, exemplified by MSNBC's Nicole Wallace, who, as my RedState colleague Brad Slager points out, claimed that the polls show the exact opposite - that conservatives believe political violence is justified.
Numbers are hard.
This study follows another conducted by Rutgers University’s Network Contagion Research Institute, or NCRI, back in April of 2025, which showed the left side of the political spectrum had begun embracing an "assassination culture."
Again, the numbers proved that even an assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump didn't lower the temperature of the incendiary rhetoric coming from the left. The study noted that acceptance of political violence had surged on the left since the nearly fatal attempt on Trump's life in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Thirty-one percent of respondents in that study felt taking out Tesla CEO Elon Musk would be at least "somewhat justified," while another 38 percent felt the same about the President. Among left-leaning respondents, those finding justification for the outright murder of Musk and Trump rose significantly - 48 and 55 percent, respectively.
Musk and his companies were under constant threat of violent firebombings at the time, which Democrat politicians and their media puppets often shrugged off.
"A broader 'assassination culture' appears to be emerging within segments of the U.S. public on the extreme left, with expanding targets now including figures such as Donald Trump and Elon Musk," the non-profit NCRI said in a statement at the time.
"It’s not just Luigi anymore," founder Joel Finkelstein added. "We're seeing an expansion: Trump, Musk, and others are now being openly discussed as legitimate targets, often cloaked in meme culture and gamified online dialogue."
That expansion is continuing. The sick mindset helped take Kirk's life last week.
President Trump Announces the Launch of the Memphis Crime Taskforce Deployment
President Trump, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy AG Todd Blanche, Governor Bill Lee, and Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty assemble in the Oval Office to share the announcement of the “Memphis Crime Taskforce.” WATCH:
FBI Director Kash Patel Outlines Updates on Charlie Kirk Murder
FBI Director Kash Patel appears on Fox News this morning to outline more details and evidence in the investigation of Charlie Kirk’s assassin, Tyler Robinson, and his transgender roommate Lance Twiggs.
Director Patel also outlined his personal importance to the investigation outcomes and how his involvement was key to solving the identity of the suspect. Patel notes how he is “quarterbacking” the investigation. WATCH:
Iran FM says prisoner swap deal with France nearing completion
The proposed swap involves Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian woman arrested in France in February on charges of promoting terrorism through social media.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that a deal to exchange French prisoners in Iran for an Iranian woman held in France was nearly complete. The proposed swap involves Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian woman arrested in France in February on charges of promoting terrorism through social media.
"We have carried out a great deal of activity, and I can now say that we have reached the point where the exchange of the French prisoners in Iran is now approaching its final stages," Araghchi said in a televised interview, without elaborating further.
Iran has repeatedly called for her release, arguing that she has been unjustly detained. France has said it will lodge a complaint against Tehran at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the detention of the two French citizens, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris.
Kohler, 40, and Paris, in his 70s, were arrested on May 7, 2022, and charged with spying for Israel, Iran's arch-enemy. Their families have described their situation as increasingly desperate.
The couple are among roughly 20 Europeans currently detained in Iran, including a Franco-German teenager who was on a Europe-to-Asia cycle trip and disappeared in the country on June 16 during Iran's brief war with Israel. Araghchi also said on Thursday that enriched nuclear material remained "under the rubble" of facilities damaged during the recent war.
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/09/11/iran-fm-says-prisoner-swap-deal-with-france-nearing-completion_6745301_4.html
News Anchor Suspended Over Non-Partisan Tribute to Charlie Kirk
Beni Harmony was the Lifestyle Anchor/Reporter for WICS ABC20 in Springfield, Illinois. However, according to Harmony's X and Facebook page, she was suspended for a Friday, on-air tribute to assassinated TPUSA co-founder and CEO Charlie Kirk.
Instead of accepting the suspension, Harmony chose to resign. From the tribute, Harmony appeared to have a personal connection to Kirk and said that Kirk was "the first person who made me believe in myself." In the X post, she included that on-air tribute. Her message, while teary, heartfelt, and encouraging, did not come off as partisan or divisive. The same cannot be said of high-profile and national legacy media outlets, which have spewed nonsense and some outright vitriol since Kirk's murder on Wednesday.
Over the last week and weekend, we have had a plethora of stories showing doctors, nurses, and teachers being exposed, and subsequently fired, for openly celebrating Kirk's assassination. But now we have what appears to be the first instance of a person being suspended because they spoke well of Kirk and offered a glowing tribute.
More upside-down from a world that appears to have gone crazy.
WATCH:
Effective immediately, I have resigned from @WICS_ABC20 after being SUSPENDED for airing a non-partisan tribute to Charlie Kirk this past Friday.
Many in the mainstream media have been fired or punished for mocking his assassination. I believe I am the first to be targeted for honoring him on air.
My resignation is guided by values that are essential to who I am, which I refuse to set aside in order to keep a job. I choose my faith and love of country, and always will.
Thank you, Springfield. My home. My community. My people.
God Bless Charlie Kirk and his beautiful family, and God Bless these United States of America.
Harmony posted the full resignation letter on her Facebook page, with an image of her posing with her back to the camera. Harmony is wearing a t-shirt with an American flag emblem emblazoned on it.
Quite the statement.
The suspension by WICS is an interesting flex. News is scripted, programmed, and timed to the very second, so it is doubtful that her decision to give this tribute was impromptu or ad libbed. It was most likely approved by one or several producers. One wonders why they chose to put her on suspension for making it.
This is reminiscent of former Fox 26 Houston correspondent Ivory Hecker, who, in 2021, acted as a whistleblower for Project Veritas (at that time still helmed by Jim O'Keefe), exposing the network's bias and corruption. Hecker chose to resign her position as well and now works as an independent journalist.
Then you have a former Arizona Fox 10 correspondent who, in 2020, also chose to resign from a high-profile and lucrative anchor spot. We all know her as the acting CEO of Voice of America and former gubernatorial and Senate candidate Kari Lake.
So, Harmony made the correct move. Hats off to her because she followed Charlie Kirk's example of living and walking in her values, out loud, and without apology. Independent journalism and new media are expanding and becoming a more powerful force, while legacy media continues to crumble and slide into irrelevancy.
Expect to see Harmony again sooner, rather than later. If Kari Lake's trajectory is any indication, Harmony may find herself with a bigger platform and greater reach than the one she left behind.
JD Vance Closes Charlie Kirk Podcast with Powerful Message
Vice-President JD Vance guest hosted the Charlie Kirk Podcast today as he memorialized Charlie and interviewed guests who shared their personal stories.
At the end of the podcast, JD Vance then shared his perspectives of events surrounding the murder of Charlie Kirk with a powerful message outlining the hatred of the left and the solution to counter their evil enterprise. WATCH:
The full podcast is below:
FBI Debates Whether Or Not They Should Investigate ‘Trans Terrorist Murder Planning Committee’ Discord Channel
WASHINGTON, D.C. — According to sources, the investigation into the assassination of Charlie Kirk is on hold while federal agents are currently deliberating whether or not to investigate a Discord channel called "Tranny Terrorist Murder Planning Committee".
Agents are reportedly divided as to its value, with some maintaining it could hold key evidence and others simply saying "ew."
"I mean, it seems important to take a look at it, I'll give you that," Special Agent David Richardson told colleagues in a tense 3-hour meeting. "But it might also be really gross and weird. We didn't train for that."
Special Agent Margaret Pen disagreed. "I know it's gross, but we have to do whatever it takes. It's literally called Tranny Terrorist Murder Planning Committee. It's very possible they might be terrorists planning murder."
Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel has called on his agents to pursue any and all leads, even if they lead them to creepy Discord channels. "I am determined to throw as many agents at those furries as it takes to get to the truth," Patel said. "As long as I don't have to look at it myself. It's too icky."
At publishing time, federal agents utilized AI to examine the Discord channel themselves and report on any possible accomplices so they wouldn't have to.