President Donald Trump on Sunday blamed "the left" for rising political vitriol after last week’s public killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calling some people "sick" and "really deranged" and saying leftist groups were under investigation.
Asked whether the administration would revoke visas for foreigners who "celebrated" Kirk’s death, Trump said, "We don't like that. That's not right. We wouldn't celebrate if something happened on their side and we don't." He added that "the problem is on the left" and singled out what he described as "agitators" and "the scum that speaks so badly of our country, the American flag burnings, all over the place."
Trump's remarks came as some critics and political opponents pointed to his own rhetoric and that of his allies and supporters as contributing to the polarized climate. They noted instances in which Trump and close allies appeared to react asymmetrically to violence against political figures and to sometimes mock or celebrate attacks on opponents.
In June, Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed by a gunman who reportedly targeted other Democratic figures. Trump posted on social media decrying the "terrible shooting" but did not order flags to be lowered, did not attend the funeral and said he would not call the governor, former campaign rival Gov. Tim Walz (D). According to reporting, Trump said, "The guy doesn't have a clue. He's a mess. I could be nice and call, but why waste time?"
Critics also pointed to a separate incident in Pennsylvania last year in which someone broke into the governor's mansion and set part of it on fire while Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and his family were inside; Shapiro said he received a private call from Trump about a week later. Trump has likewise pardoned supporters charged and convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including those accused of violent offenses.
Opponents highlighted other episodes in which Trump or his allies appeared to make light of or amplify violent imagery. Last year, Trump quipped in speeches about how a wall around the home of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "didn't do a very good job" protecting her husband, Paul Pelosi, who was beaten in a 2022 home invasion. "How's her husband doing, by the way, anybody know?" Trump asked, to laughter. Donald Trump Jr. posted jokes about the assault on social media while Paul Pelosi was still in the hospital, and some Republican officials made comments later criticized as insensitive; Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) reportedly joked about Hortman's murder while the suspect remained at large.
Trump also reposted on his Truth Social platform an image showing a pickup truck with graphic imagery of President Joe Biden tied up in the vehicle's bed. Critics said such posts and remarks by prominent conservatives normalize or amplify violent imagery and contribute to a fraught national atmosphere.
Responding to those reminders, some commentators and political observers said repudiations of political violence must include elected leaders rejecting rhetoric that appears to condone or celebrate attacks. On social media, political analyst Sarah Longwell wrote, "Rejecting political violence begins with rejecting elected leaders who condone, laugh about, and actively foment political violence."
Trump's latest comments followed public and law enforcement attention on threats and partisan harassment in the wake of high-profile attacks and deaths of political activists and officeholders. Authorities have opened investigations into threats and possible celebratory statements from abroad in the days after Kirk's killing, according to Trump and administration officials.
The debate over the role of rhetoric in political violence comes as campaigns, law enforcement and civic groups weigh responses to threats against public figures and discuss whether and how to hold foreign nationals or online accounts accountable for celebrating or encouraging violence. The White House and federal agencies did not announce any immediate new national directives tied specifically to Trump’s comments on visas.
As lawmakers and advocates called for de-escalation, the exchange underscored the continuing national tensions over political discourse, the responsibilities of public officials, and the line between heated political speech and speech that critics say fuels or celebrates violence.