Vice President JD Vance and top White House officials appeared on slain MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk's podcast Monday, using the platform to call on right-wing supporters to threaten left-wing organizations.
Vance, the guest host, made several unsubstantiated claims about political opponents and broad allegations that liberal organizations were responsible for Kirk's death, although investigators have said they believe that suspect Tyler Robinson acted alone, The New York Times reports.
No official motive has yet to be announced by the FBI, The Times. Spencer Cox, the Republican governor of Utah, has said that the suspect has "leftist ideology."
Vance and other MAGA lawmakers have suggested a crackdown on people who speak out against Kirk's rhetoric.
"When you see someone celebrating Charlie's murder, call them out — and, hell, call their employer," Vance said.
The vice president called Kirk a "true friend" and said he was "desperate" for unity following his assassination — but then said it wasn't possible.
"There's no unity with people who fund these articles, who pay the salaries of these terrorist sympathizers...Soros' OSF and the Ford Foundation...benefit from generous tax treatment...How do they reward us? By setting fire to the house built by the American family."
It's still unclear what the shooter's motives are. Vance alleges a statistical fact, which is unverified.
"While our side of the aisle certainly has its crazies, it is a statistical fact that most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far-Left."
