Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., called on former President Donald Trump to rescind pardons issued to people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, saying doing so would be a necessary step to reduce political violence after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a university event.
Kirk was shot Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University during his "American Comeback Tour," officials said. The suspect remained at large as investigators recovered a high-powered bolt-action rifle and obtained video that authorities described as showing the shooter leaving the scene, according to law enforcement statements. Police said the shooter reportedly jumped from a building and ran into a nearby neighborhood after the attack.
Moulton made the demand Thursday on CNN News Central during an interview with anchor Kate Bolduan, arguing that pardons for those who took part in the Jan. 6 attack amount to defending political violence. "If the president is serious about stopping political violence, then maybe he should start by rescinding the pardons for all the domestic terrorists who came to the Capitol on January 6 to kill cops, to kill Speaker Pelosi, to kill, to kill Vice President Pence," Moulton said.
He added that Republicans must do more to condemn violence from the right and accused some conservative figures of failing to denounce recent attacks. "But people like Warren Davidson and Donald Trump need to condemn the violence on the right as well," Moulton said. He also said Democrats must condemn violence on the left and that both sides should lower rhetoric to reduce the risk of further attacks.
Moulton cited figures he said were from the Anti-Defamation League, saying that of extremist violent attacks in the United States, 76% were carried out by right-wing extremists and 4% by left-wing extremists. He said the nation also needed to discuss gun policy. "You hear a lot of conservatives saying, ‘Hey, the only thing we need to do here is get more guns on the street.’ That's not going to solve this problem, that's going to make it worse," he said.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson pushed back on Moulton's remarks in comments to Fox News Digital, calling it "truly disgusting" that a Democratic lawmaker would, within 24 hours of the shooting, single out Republicans and the former president. The spokesperson said Moulton "should be ashamed."
Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Fox News Digital reported outreach to Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, seeking his reaction; no response was reported immediately.
Kirk founded conservative student group Turning Point USA and had been speaking at events nationwide. The shooting prompted an outpouring of reaction from Utah officials and national figures as investigators continued to search for the suspect and piece together a motive and timeline.
Law enforcement provided early details about the scene and the weapons recovered, but investigators have not publicly identified a suspect or released a motive for the killing. Federal and local authorities often coordinate on probes of mass-casualty events and politically charged attacks; officials said they were following leads and reviewing surveillance footage.
Calls to reconsider the pardons for Jan. 6 defendants come amid ongoing national debate over political rhetoric, accountability for the Capitol attack and the extent to which pardons issued after the event influence extremist activity. The pardons have been criticized by some lawmakers and legal experts who say they undermine prosecutions related to the Jan. 6 riot, while supporters argue they addressed political divisions from that period.
Moulton's comments tie the Kirk shooting to what he described as a broader rise in politically motivated attacks, an argument he said requires bipartisan introspection. Other lawmakers have made similar appeals for de-escalation, though they disagree on the drivers of violence and on potential policy responses such as firearms regulation, social media oversight or enforcement of existing laws.
Investigators urged anyone with video or information about the Utah shooting to contact local authorities as they continue to seek the person or people responsible.
This story will be updated as authorities and officials provide additional details.