Targeting the left

The aftershocks from the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk continue to rattle the nation a week after his murder.  

Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, vowed to seek revenge, while the targets of their wrath – liberal groups they claim without evidence finance left-wing violence – hunkered down and prepared for the administration's offense. 

In Utah, investigators are still trying to piece together why alleged shooter Tyler Robinson, 22, took his grandfather's bolt-action rifle to a rooftop at Utah Valley University on September 10 and killed Kirk with a single shot.  

Prosecutors have yet to give an ideological motive for Robinson's alleged actions, although, according to charging documents, he viewed Kirk, the co-founder of the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA, as a figure who was "spreading hate."  

Utah Governor Spencer Cox described Robinson as having developed a "left-wing ideology" in recent years as a result of becoming radicalized over the internet. Robinson himself has kept quiet; investigators have said he is not cooperating.  

The presumption that Robinson is an angry leftist, although still unestablished, has been enough for Trump, Vice President JD Vance and others in the MAGA universe to essentially declare war on liberal nonprofits and foundations they accuse of fomenting hate. There is no evidence any such group had anything to do with Kirk's death.  

Trump has suggested that Attorney General Pam Bondi could use the federal racketeering statute to prosecute groups he claims are funding left-wing violence, while Vance has suggested some groups enjoy too-favorable tax treatment.  

More than 100 liberal-leaning nonprofits and foundations signed a letter published on Wednesday denouncing what they said was a push to exploit political violence to mischaracterize their charitable work. 

The letter came ahead of an impending White House executive order on political violence and hate speech currently being crafted by Trump's advisers, including the point man for his conflict against the left: Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The order could come later this week. 

But Trump isn't waiting. While on a state visit to Britain, he said on social media that he was designating the anti-fascist antifa – long a favorite target of the right – as a "terrorist organization." (It was not clear what legal weight Trump's proclamation carried as antifa is a loosely organized ideological movement without a clear leadership structure or hierarchy, experts said.) 

Since taking office in January, Trump has pushed to degrade or neuter liberal influences and organizations.  

Among other things, the president has withheld federal funds from colleges and universities, arguing they promote a liberal ideology, encourage dissent and support antisemitism. His Justice Department has opened a probe into ActBlue, the top fundraising site for Democratic candidates. The White House has also forced a number of high-profile law firms to agree to settlements that require them to provide services to conservative causes. 

Kirk, whom Trump credits for persuading Gen Z and other young voters to join the MAGA movement, will be honored at a memorial service in Arizona on Sunday. Trump and Vance plan to attend and are expected to speak.  

The event will be another opportunity to try to square the image of Kirk as a fallen martyr and conservative hero with his often-provocative rhetoric, which won him many fans but also drew legions of critics. And after the service is over, the consequences of his death will be felt for weeks and months to come. 

Follow Reuters/Ipsos polling on the president's approval ratings here.

Meanwhile, Trump is enjoying his second state visit to the United Kingdom, basking in the warm welcome he received from King Charles and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. At Starmer's country residence at Chequers (everyone should have one), the two leaders celebrated a $205 billion package of U.S. investment into Britain. "We've renewed the special relationship for a new era," Starmer told reporters.

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