House Divides Over Gun Violence After Charlie Kirk Assassination

The assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University sparked partisan tensions in the U.S. House of Representatives, with Republicans and Democrats clashing over the appropriate response during a moment of silence. Rep. Lauren Boebert urged colleagues to pray out loud, which led to heated exchanges, including accusations over responsibility for violence. While President Donald Trump and other Republicans blamed the 'radical Left' and inflammatory rhetoric, Democratic Rep. Daniel Goldman downplayed the role of political rhetoric in the shooting and urged for unity rather than division. Republican strategist Greg Swenson defended gun rights, framing the issue as one of violent crime and mental health, not firearms legislation. In contrast, leading Democrats, including Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, condemned political violence but notably refrained from calling for new gun control measures, a departure from past responses to similar incidents. The debate highlights deep divisions over gun violence and political rhetoric in the current climate, with calls for respect and condemnation of violence from across the spectrum but no consensus on policy action.