Trump Condemns Political Violence After Kirk Assassination Amid Partisan Criticism

Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, President Trump condemned the killing and attributed it to the radical left's rhetoric, which he said demonizes conservatives and incites political violence. While Trump highlighted several violent attacks on Republicans and law enforcement, he did not acknowledge recent violent acts targeting Democratic officials, such as the murder of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and attacks on other Democrats. In response, leaders from both parties, including Connecticut Democrats and Republicans, emphasized the need to lower the political temperature and condemned all forms of political violence regardless of political affiliation. Speaker Johnson and other politicians called for unity and leadership that brings Americans together rather than deepening divisions. Democrats criticized Trump’s rhetoric as contributing to political violence, while Trump and his supporters insisted that the left’s inflammatory language is to blame. The situation has intensified calls across the political spectrum for reducing hateful rhetoric and finding solutions to prevent further violence.