Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts said his office received an influx of "violent and graphic threats" from right-wing individuals after he urged President Donald Trump to explicitly condemn political violence in the wake of the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Moulton said the threats, delivered both online and by phone, were directed at him, his family and his staff. He posted screenshots of some of the messages to X on Friday and wrote that "the solution to political disagreement in America is never violence." Moulton made the comments on CNN on Thursday, before authorities had captured a suspect or released details suggesting a motive in Kirk's killing.
On television, Moulton urged Republicans to follow House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had called for Americans to "settle disagreements and disputes in a civil manner," rather than echoing President Trump's immediate attribution of the attack to "extremist left-wing groups." Moulton also criticized Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who, soon after the shooting, said "Democrats own this." That comment was widely circulated on social media.
Moulton's post on X said his office had received "an extraordinary number of violent and graphic threats yesterday and today from right-wing individuals online and over the phone—directed toward me, my family, and my staff—after I pointed out the simple fact that President Trump should join Speaker Johnson." He added, "It should be easy for everybody to say that."
The shooting of Kirk, a prominent conservative commentator and a close associate of the Trump family, prompted sharp, immediate reactions across the political spectrum. In interviews and social media posts following the killing, several conservative figures called for retribution before investigators had identified a suspect. Fox News host Jesse Watters and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer were among those who urged a crackdown on left-leaning groups, according to contemporaneous reporting.
When asked about unity after the shooting on Fox & Friends, President Trump said he "couldn't care less" about doing that, comments that critics said further inflamed partisan tensions. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment about Moulton's statement or the threats he reported.
Law enforcement officials were continuing an investigation into Kirk's death at the time Moulton spoke, and authorities had not disclosed a motive or completed an arrest. Moulton's disclosure underscores the heightened threats faced by lawmakers who speak publicly about political rhetoric and violence, and it follows a broader debate over responsibility for incendiary language in political discourse.
Moulton called for an unequivocal denouncement of political violence from leaders on both sides of the aisle. His account of threats adds to growing concern among members of Congress about the safety of public officials and their staff amid a polarized national climate.