Charlie Kirk and Trump's Looming Political Crackdown

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The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

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4.7 • 8K Ratings

🗓️ 17 September 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

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Summary

More To The Story: The shocking assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week was part of a wider, horrific trend: the rise of political violence in America. But Kirk’s murder also seemed to reveal something even darker. Before a suspect was found—when facts were scarce—the race for political retribution was already well underway. This week, Utah prosecutors charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with seven counts related to Kirk’s death, including aggravated murder. The charging documents say Robinson described Kirk as someone who “spreads too much hate.” According to prosecutors, Robinson’s mother told investigators her son had started to lean to the left politically and that he was “becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.” She said her son was in a relationship with his roommate, and that the roommate was transitioning. Prosecutors also released a text exchange between Robinson and that roommate shortly after Kirk’s death, in which Robinson confesses to the crime.

On this week’s episode of More To The Story, Mother Jones National Affairs Editor Mark Follman examines America’s spiraling political discourse, why early explanations of motive in gun violence incidents are almost always misguided, and why the Trump administration is cutting federal funding for programs meant to prevent violent incidents like Kirk’s assassination.

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Read: Trump Prepares to Wipe Out Years of Progress on Gun Violence (Mother Jones)
Listen: Lessons From a Mass Shooter’s Mother (Reveal)
Read: Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America (Dey Street Books)
Watch and read: No, Charlie Kirk Was Not Practicing Politics the Right Way (Mother Jones)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis
0:10.0	and the world's worst mass murderers and criminals.
0:14.0	This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now.
0:24.6	He is immediately casting blame on his political opponents, demonizing, and turning the heat up.
0:32.6	And that is a recipe for more violence. The very top of our political leadership is stoking a political and cultural war.
0:42.5	On this week's more to the story, I talk with Mother Jones National Affairs editor Mark
0:47.5	Folman about how Charlie Kirk's assassination is fueling America's political divide.
0:53.4	Stay with us.
1:13.9	Hey, this is Al, and I'm sure it is no surprise to you that President Trump doesn't like us very much. He called the press the enemy of the people. Credential journalists have been banned from press briefings just for asking tough questions.
1:18.1	Trump personally sued news networks demanding billions.
1:24.7	And now, at his urging, Congress has voted to gut all federal funding for public broadcasting.
1:26.0	And I think I know why.
1:26.7	I think we all do.
1:28.3	It's because real journalism brings sunlight, scrutiny, accountability. When power feels threatened, it lashes out.
1:35.1	And that tells you just how vital independent reporting is right now. Here it reveal,
1:41.2	we don't answer to billionaires or politicians or special interests.
1:45.6	We only answer to you, our listeners, but we can't do this alone.
1:50.3	Stand with us. Support fearless independent journalism that refuses to back down.
1:56.2	Donate today. Just visit RevealNews.org slash fearless.
2:00.6	Again, that's Reveals.org slash fearless. Again, that's reveal news.org slash fearless.
2:05.0	Thanks.
2:10.5	This is more to the story. I'm out Ledson.
	...

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