Trump's America

As news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Utah broke yesterday, I was having lunch with three former colleagues. Collectively, we have over 200 years of experience as investigative reporters, authors and teachers, but not one of us was interested in speculating as to the identity or motive of the shooter.

In cases like this, speculation is for amateurs.

The initial reactions by public officials were predictable. Calls for unity and to “tone down the rhetoric” were drowned out by declarations of “war” by right-wing extremists including Steve Bannon.

Trump himself spoiled what might otherwise been a perfectly good statement by wandering off into the wilderness of blaming, once again, the “radical left.”

Who is this radical left he keeps talking about? Bernie Sanders?

Of course it’s ridiculous. There is no discernible radical left political movement in this country and there hasn’t been for a very long tine.

So what Trump means by the term is anyone who opposes him. And that is one hell of a lot of people.

Meanwhile, back to the investigation. Law enforcement officials announced this morning that they believe they have video of the suspect, that they have a weapon, and that they have tracked his movements before and after the shooting.

They are using AI to help identify him.

It’s likely only a matter of time before they apprehend him. Then, and only then will a motive possibly be discovered, assuming the suspect survives his arrest.

But none of that will end the speculation, blame, and conspiracy thinking that overwhelms the facts — whatever they may be — in Donald Trump’s America.

The real danger here is that one way or another this heinous act will play into Trump’s quest for authoritarian power. And that is something worth speculating about.

HEADLINES: 

• The Horrifying Assassination of Charlie Kirk (Atlantic)

• Charlie Kirk, Right-Wing Activist, Is Fatally Shot at Utah College (NYT)

• 3 fired FBI officials sue Patel, saying he bowed to Trump administration's 'campaign of retribution' (AP)

• Supreme Court to weigh legality of Trump’s tariffs in key economic case (WP)

• Poland dismisses Russia’s claim drone incursion was unintentional as Ukraine calls for joint European air defence system (Guardian)

• French police clash with ‘Block Everything’ protesters while Macron installs a new prime minister (AP)

• Venezuelan Boat Is Said to Have Turned Before U.S. Attacked It (NYT)

• How Originalism Killed the Constitution (Atlantic)

• Activists protested President Donald Trump while he was dining out in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, marking the second time this week that he's been openly jeered in a public place. [HuffPost]

• Israel will kill Hamas leaders next time if they survived Qatar attack, Israeli official says (Reuters)

• Trump appears sidelined as the US caught unawares by Israel’s unprecedented strikes on Qatar (Guardian)

• ‘We All Thought the Raids Were Over’: Fears Return for Immigrants in L.A. (NYT)

• Kamala Harris opens up on the 'recklessness' of Biden's re-election bid (NBC)

• A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, an early setback for the White House in an unprecedented legal battle that could upend the central bank's long-held independence. (Reuters)

• Europe’s economy at last shows signs of a recovery (Economist)

• Only one in four Americans believe that recent recommendations for fewer vaccines from President Donald Trump's administration were based on scientific evidence and facts, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. (Reuters)

• It’s eerily quiet during peak Atlantic hurricane season. (WP)

• Grove of giant sequoia trees burns in California's Sierra National Forest (NBC)

• I Hate My AI Friend (Wired)

• Two Leading European Tech Firms Strike an A.I. Partnership (NYT)

• U.S. Citizenship Test To Include 4-Year Imprisonment Section (The Onion)