Vice-president JD Vance has threatened a crackdown on what he called the 'far left' and its increased tolerance for violence, while guest-hosting Charlie Kirk's podcast on Monday. Vance said the administration would work to dismantle groups that celebrate Kirk's death and promote political violence against their opponents.
Speaking from his office next to the White House, Vance hosted high-profile members of the Trump administration and Kirk's long-time friends, including Tucker Carlson and adviser Stephen Miller. Vance stated the administration would 'work to dismantle the institutions that promote violence and terrorism in our own country' and 'explore every option to bring real unity to our country and stop those who would kill their fellow Americans because they don't like what they say'.
The political leanings of the shooter who killed Kirk are not yet clear. Bullet casings found with the shooter's gun were inscribed with references to video games and online culture. Despite this, prominent figures on the right declared war on the left before a shooter was apprehended, claiming it was responsible for Kirk's death. There is no evidence of a network supporting the shooter, and Miller did not provide substantiation for his claims of a 'vast domestic terror movement'.
Miller detailed how the administration would use the federal government to achieve this goal, saying: 'With God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have at the Department of Justice, [Department of] Homeland Security and throughout this government to identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks' in Charlie's name. Vance added: 'When you see someone celebrating Charlie's murder, call them out. Hell, call their employer.'
Since Kirk's death, rightwing influencers have sought to get people they accuse of glorifying the violence fired. One post that Miller retweeted suggested going after professional licenses for lawyers, teachers and medical professionals. Trump has also said the problem today is on the left, not the right, citing agitators and flag burnings.
On the podcast, Vance criticised the leftwing magazine The Nation for an article about Kirk's views, noting it is funded by George Soros's Open Society Foundation and the Ford Foundation. The Ford Foundation responded: 'The murder of Charlie Kirk was an appalling act of violence... Political violence is un-American and a threat to our way of life.'
