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In an interview with NBC’s Meet The Press program, which aired on Sunday (14), the governor of Spencer Cox spoke about the influence of social networks on the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. According to Cox, the platforms are a “cancer” that feed extremist speeches.
In another interview with CNN, Cox said that 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, alleged perpetrator and arrested on Thursday (11) in Utah, had a “leftist ideology” and lived with a trans companion, “a man in the process of transition to becoming a woman,” Cox explained.
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He added that this person “had no idea what was happening” and has cooperated with the investigators, unlike the alleged shooter, who refuses to give details. According to the governor, investigators have so far found evidence of the influence of Robinson’s companion on the murder.
“This is what we are trying to determine right now. It’s easy to draw hasty conclusions, but I want to be cautious,” he said. Robinson will formally accused on Tuesday (16).
At NBC, the governor also commented on the reactions of Donald Trump, who held the “radical left.” The governor said he was talking to the president, recognizing that he is “annoyed and has the right to be,” just like many Americans.
During the press conference he announced the suspect’s capture, Cox said he even prayed that the shooter was someone outside the country, or at least outside the state, but unfortunately it was clear that the “enemy” was internal.
The murder of Charlie Kirk, one of the leading conservative activists of the United States and ally near Donald Trump, further exposed political division in the US.
Kirk, 31, was co -founder of the Turning Point USA organization, a right -wing group that gained prominence among young republicans. He was shot while speaking at an event in Orem, a university city in the state of Utah, in the western region of the country.
Tyler James Robinson, 22, was denounced by his own father, who saw the FBI -released surveillance images and found the suspect similar to his son. He then talked to his son and insisted that he surrendered.
Funeral will be attended by the President
Charlie Kirk’s funeral is scheduled for next Sunday (21) at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, an arena with a capacity of 60,000 people, usually used in NFL Football League games, and is expected to gather thousands of supporters.
President Donald Trump has already confirmed his presence and made the decision after talking to Kirk’s widow Erika, who asked him to participate in the ceremony. Trump said he was obliged to fulfill the request and called Kirk “American legend.”
Erika, very excited, appeared in a video released over the weekend, next to her husband’s body, repeating several times “I love you.” She also showed the Freedom Presidential Medal, granted to Kirk by Trump.
The widow also made a statement on social networks recently saying that “her husband’s voice will remain.”
Charlie Kirk’s murder divides and moves the country
The political climate in the United States is of great tension. The reactions to Charlie Kirk’s death reflect an even more polarized country and remember the attacks against Donald Trump last year.
Even before the suspect’s arrest, figures on the right were already pointing the episode as part of a broader left attack on conservatism.
White House advisor Stephen Miller said the country has lost “one of his greatest champions” and is time to defeat the “evil” that took Kirk out of the world. Activist Laura Loomer called for a total government offensive against leftist groups, and billionaire Elon Musk wrote that “the left is the party of the murder.”
Donald Trump, in turn, blamed the hatred speech of political opponents and said that violence is the result of years of ‘demonization’ against conservatives.
Democrats reacted more with more caution. Former President Barack Obama stated that this type of violence has no place in a democracy. Former deputy Gabby Giffords, survivor of an attack in 2012, stressed that political differences cannot be resolved with weapons. There were also direct criticism of Trump, such as the governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, who accused the president of feeding the rhetoric of violence in the country.
This climate of radicalization also arrived in Brazil. American Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, announced on Saturday that he ordered the revocation of the visa of a Brazilian doctor who celebrated the death of Charlie Kirk on social networks.
Neurosurgeon Ricardo Barbosa wrote on Instagram a mockery message, praising the shooter’s aim. Landau said he hoped that Brazilian authorities will also investigate the case.
Episode rekindled debate on weapons and political violence
According to disease control and prevention centers, almost 47,000 people died of firearms in 2023 in the United States, the third highest number ever recorded in the country.
Two years ago, Congress approved the first major weapon control law in three decades, hardening rules for verification of antecedents, but the impact on armed violence was minimal.
Research also shows the risk of political climbing. A Reuters/Ipsos survey, made last year, pointed out that a small portion of Americans – 6% – considers acceptable members of their political party to use intimidation or threats to achieve political goals.
At the same time, vigils and acts in honor of the activist have been happening in various parts of the country, including New York. Last Friday (12), the Association of Young Republicans organized a vigil that, even with some female presence, brought together a mostly made of young white men, a symbolic portrait of the conservative base that Kirk helped mobilize.
