The president has made comments to reporters saying that certain people are \u00ab\u00a0already under investigation.\u00a0\u00bb<\/b>
\nPresident Donald Trump said Sunday that \u00ab\u00a0people on the left\u00a0\u00bb are under \u00ab\u00a0major investigation\u00a0\u00bb following the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday, though he did not provide specifics about which groups or individuals he was referring to.Why It Matters
During a national address on Wednesday evening, Trump blamed the \u00ab\u00a0radical left\u00a0\u00bb for the assassination even as the initial investigation was in its early stages.
Authorities have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the attack. He was taken into custody by the FBI late Thursday evening.What To Know
Speaking to reporters September 14, Trump said: \u00ab\u00a0.if you look at the problem, the problem is on the left. It’s not on the right\u2026and when you look at the agitators, you look at the scum that speaks so badly of our country, the American flag burnings all over the place, that’s the left, that’s not the right.\u00a0\u00bb
Pressed on which groups might face scrutiny, Trump responded: \u00ab\u00a0We’ll see, we’ll be announcing\u2026they’re already under major investigation. A lot of the people that you would traditionally say are on the left, they’re already under investigation.\u00a0\u00bb
The president also said he would attend Kirk’s funeral next weekend. \u00ab\u00a0It was a very sad weekend in the sense that we lost a great person\u00a0\u00bb, Trump told reporters. \u00ab\u00a0I’ll be going on early Sunday morning, we’re going to Arizona taking some people with us on Air Force One.\u00a0\u00bbUtah Governor’s Comments
On Saturday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Robinson appeared to have been influenced by left-leaning political ideas.
Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, Cox said: \u00ab\u00a0It’s very clear to us and to the investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.\u00a0\u00bb
Cox pointed to evidence recovered at the scene, including bullet casings bearing anti-fascist slogans. One casing carried the phrase \u00ab\u00a0Hey Fascist! Catch!\u00a0\u00bb alongside markings that investigators linked to the video game Helldivers 2, which satirizes authoritarianism. Another was engraved with lyrics from \u00ab\u00a0Bella Ciao\u00a0\u00bb, a 20th-century Italian anti-fascist anthem.
Public records reviewed by Newsweek show Robinson was registered as \u00ab\u00a0Unaffiliated\u00a0\u00bb and inactive, indicating he has not voted in the last two general elections. Both of his parents are registered Republicans.
The governor’s remarks came as debate continued online about Robinson’s political affiliations. Some analysts have questioned whether the slogans on the casings suggest ties to anti-fascist or left-leaning groups, or whether they were intended as references to internet culture.What People Are Saying
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, told reporters after the shooting: \u00ab\u00a0Enough of this. This is horrific, this [is] awful and the assassination of Charlie Kirk risks an uncorking of political chaos and violence that we cannot risk in America.\u00a0\u00bb
Far-right commentator Nick Fuentes, a frequent ally of Kirk, denied claims that his followers were connected to the shooting, he said: \u00ab\u00a0My followers and I are currently being framed for the murder of Charlie Kirk by the mainstream media based on literally zero evidence.\u00a0\u00bbWhat Happens Next
Trump has not identified which groups are under what he called \u00ab\u00a0major investigation\u00a0\u00bb, and neither the White House nor the Department of Justice has issued clarifying statements. The FBI has declined to comment.
Legal proceedings against Robinson are expected to move forward this week.<\/p>\n