Politics

(WASHINGTON) — Political violence and extreme rhetoric in the United States today mirror the turbulent 1960s, but with key differences that make the current era particularly challenging, according to presidential historian Mark Updegrove.

“The 1960s were another time of great upheaval and discord and division,” Updegrove told ABC News on Thursday, one day after the fatal shooting of conservative youth leader Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. “In just five years, we saw the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, and in 1968 alone, the back-to-back assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy.”

As FBI agents recovered what they believed to be the murder weapon—a high-powered bolt action rifle—from a wooded area near the shooting site and continued their manhunt for the suspect, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox labeled Kirk’s death a “political assassination.”

The assassination led Updegrove to highlight a distinction between today’s political violence and that of the 1960s: The role of social media in amplifying extreme views.

“Social media gives us an opportunity to purvey extreme views from one side or the other with absolute impunity,” Updegrove said. “For social media purveyors, that enragement means engagement. It’s good for their business.”

The historian emphasized that political violence has emerged from across the ideological spectrum.

“It’s happening from all sides, not just the left,” he said. “It’s extremism that we need to prevent in this country.”

Reflecting on former first lady Lady Bird Johnson’s words, Updegrove recalled her observation that “the clash of ideas is the sound of freedom.” However, he stressed that while Americans are entitled to different views, violence is never the solution in a democracy.

Kirk’s death could have lasting implications for conservative youth movements, according to Updegrove.

“He was a leader who had great charisma and great impact,” he said, noting Kirk’s significant influence in mobilizing young voters. “He may be martyred… there might be people who rise up and try to fill that gap.”

Drawing another parallel to the civil rights era, Updegrove pointed out how movements can struggle to maintain momentum after losing charismatic leaders.

“We saw with Dr. Martin Luther King [who] was assassinated in 1968, the civil rights movement never quite was able to sustain that continued forward movement because he was such an effective leader,” he said.

Looking into the future, Updegrove emphasized the importance of national unity.

“We are a less effective nation when we are divided,” he said, expressing hope for reconciliation rather than further conflict.

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump, at a memorial event at the Pentagon on Thursday on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, announced he will posthumously award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Kirk, a prominent conservative activist, was shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Trump later that day announced his death.

“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and and an inspiration to millions and millions of people,” Trump said on Thursday.

“We miss him greatly, yet I have no doubt that Charlie’s voice and courage put into the hearts of countless people, especially young people, will live on,” the president continued.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the U.S. Trump said that the day of that ceremony would be announced soon, adding he thought it would surely draw a big crowd.

Trump told reporters with him at the Pentagon that he plans to speak with Kirk’s family on Thursday afternoon. Kirk is survived by his wife Erika and two young children.

A manhunt for Kirk’s killer is underway. The FBI said on Thursday it has recovered what is believed to be the weapon used by the shooter, and officials said the suspect is believed to be a college-aged individual.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump announced conservative activist Charlie Kirk died on Wednesday after being shot at a campus university event in Utah.

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

Before the announcement, Trump told ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl, “It’s horrific. It’s one of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen.”

“He was a good man. He was an incredible guy. Nobody like him,” Trump told Karl.

Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, was a close ally to Trump and many members of his administration. Several top officials issued messages of support for Kirk and his family as news of the shooting first spread.

Vice President JD Vance shared Trump’s announcement of Kirk’s death and wrote on X, “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was “heartbroken” by Kirk’s killing.

“He was an incredible husband and father and a great American. May he rest in eternal peace with our Lord,” Rubio posted on X.

The House of Representatives held a moment of silence for Kirk on Wednesday afternoon.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers condemned the shooting.

“This is detestable,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said. “Political violence has become all too common in American society, and this is not who they are.”

Johnson added, “We need every political figure, we need everyone who has a platform, to say this loudly and clearly, we can settle disagreements and disputes in a civil manner, and political violence must be pulled out, and it has to stop.”

“There is no place in our country for political violence. Period, full stop,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune wrote on X.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham called it a “sick and despicable attack.”

Former President Joe Biden said “there is no place in our country for this kind of violence.”

“It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones,” Biden said in a post on X.

“I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah,” former Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on X. “Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family. Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who earlier this year hosted Kirk for the first episode of his new podcast, called the attack “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. “

“In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X: “Political violence is NEVER acceptable. My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family.”

Gabrielle Giffords, a former Democratic congresswoman who was shot in the head during a public event in 2011, also shared a message condemning acts of political violence. Giffords later founded a national gun violence prevention group.

“I’m horrified to hear that Charlie Kirk was shot at an event in Utah. Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence. Mark and I are praying for Charlie’s recovery,” Giffords wrote.

Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, whose husband was violently assaulted in their California home by an invader looking for Pelosi, called the shooting “horrific” and “reprehensible.”

“Political violence has absolutely no place in our nation,” Pelosi wrote on X. “All Americans should pray for Charlie Kirk’s recovery and hold the entire UVU community in our hearts as they endure the trauma of this gun violence.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump and his top administration officials are reacting after law enforcement sources said conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot at an event in Utah on Wednesday.

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

Several top administration officials also quickly issued messages of support for Kirk, who was shot while speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University.

Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, has been a close ally to Trump and many members of his administration.

“Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father,” Vice President JD Vance wrote on X.

FBI Director Kash Patel posted that the bureau is “closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation.”

“Prayers for Charlie Kirk. An incredible Christian, American, and human being. May the healing hand of Jesus Christ be upon him,” Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth wrote on X.

Republican members of Congress also said they are praying for Kirk.

“Please join us in praying for our good friend, Charlie Kirk,” House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X.

“This is a sick and despicable attack,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham posted. “I am praying for Charlie Kirk and his family. Please join me.”

Many Democrats also quickly spoke out against the shooting on Wednesday.

“I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah,” former Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on X. “Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family. Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned the shooting as “disgusting.”

“The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form,” Newsom wrote on X.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X: “Political violence is NEVER acceptable. My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family.”

Gabrielle Giffords, a former Democratic congresswoman who was shot in the head during a public event in 2011, also shared a message condemning acts of political violence.

“I’m horrified to hear that Charlie Kirk was shot at an event in Utah. Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence. Mark and I are praying for Charlie’s recovery,” Giffords wrote.

Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, whose husband was violently assaulted in their California home by an invader looking for Pelosi, called the shooting “horrific” and “reprehensible.”

“Political violence has absolutely no place in our nation,” Pelosi wrote on X. “All Americans should pray for Charlie Kirk’s recovery and hold the entire UVU community in our hearts as they endure the trauma of this gun violence.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — A new proposed congressional map in Missouri that could allow Republicans to flip at least one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives has advanced through the state House — but Democrats remain defiant.

The Missouri House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to pass the bill containing a new congressional map, first proposed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, over the objections of Democrats who say the map is racially discriminatory and an abuse of power. The state Senate is likely to hold hearings on the bill on Thursday and could pass it as soon as Friday.

Democrats and various outside groups who oppose the Republican-led effort are planning a day of protests in and around the state Capitol on Wednesday. One non-partisan coalition of anti-map advocates plans to lead what they claim will be a march that attracts thousands of people, while the national Democratic Party is also supporting a rally on Wednesday.

“The Democratic Party is united in our commitment to defend the American people against Republicans’ war on their rights and their pocketbooks … The Democratic Party is united in our commitment to defend the American people against Republicans’ war on their rights and their pocketbooks,” Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin said in a statement.

Missouri’s entry into the mid-decade redistricting scramble encouraged by the White House has gotten praise from President Donald Trump.

Trump, in a post on his social media platform on Tuesday, praised the Missouri House passing the bill, saying “this new Map will give the wonderful people of Missouri the opportunity to elect an additional MAGA Republican in the 2026 Midterm Elections.”

The president, who had openly advocated for Missouri and other GOP-led states to redraw their congressional maps, called on the Missouri Senate to pass it “AS IS.”

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, whose district is targeted in the map, said Tuesday at a press conference on Capitol Hill alongside the Congressional Black Caucus that the new maps were “monumentally unpopular.”

“We are at a moment where there are powers trying to place this nation into the 1950s. They’re trying to reverse the direction of the country … and I don’t know if people realize the damage and danger of what’s going on,” Cleaver added.

Missouri House Democrats sounded a sad and defiant note in a press conference Tuesday, acknowledging they had no real way to stop the vote but arguing that the fight continues in the state Senate and beyond.

“We knew coming into this special session, we would lose. We knew that, but we showed up, and we will keep showing up, because the fight didn’t end today. There’s a lot of fight left. Missouri is just the latest, but it’s happening all over the country,” state House Minority Leader Ashley Aune told reporters.

Aune said she expects the map to go to a citizens referendum as soon as it passes the Senate. According to St. Louis Public Radio, opponents of the bill can try to gather enough signatures in most of the state’s congressional districts to force a statewide vote on the bill, although there are no guarantees this will be successful.

During Tuesday’s debate on the bill in the House, Republicans defended their authority to redraw congressional districts mid-decade.

“We may alter districts at any point. Being the case, it is totally appropriate this body, feeling this is a superior map to the current one, would pass it,” state Rep. Dirk Deaton, who sponsored the bill, said.

“Republicans do a better job of governance, both at the local level, the state level and the federal level. This is a great opportunity to see the districts more adequately represented in our federal government. We are a conservative state … we are a conservative state, and the voters of Missouri have elected that form of governance time and time again,” Rep. Brian Seitz said.

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(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Secret Service hosted what officials say was one of the nation’s largest civil disturbance unit trainings, with more than 600 officers taking part.

The exercise, held Friday at the James J. Rowley Training Center in Laurel, Maryland, drew officers from more than a dozen state, county and city agencies, with other federal partners including National Guard and Homeland Security observing the drills — an effort formed by the security concerns of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Capitol Police Officer Aaron Davis, who responded on Jan. 6, helped lead the exercises.

“We want it to be as real as possible, we wanted this to be the environment where we make our mistakes,” he said. “We want to be able to say, ‘Hey, this is what we did wrong, this is what we need to correct.’”

Capitol Police Assistant Chief Sean Gallagher said the agency is preparing for unprecedented dangers.

“We’ve taken lessons of the past, incorporated them into these scenarios, the goal with this is to be proactive, not reactive, to be ready for anything that should occur on Capitol grounds,” Gallagher said.

The training marked the third joint exercise between Capitol Police and the Secret Service, according to law enforcement leaders.

Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the event has helped strengthen interagency ties.

“Training like this is incredibly important; this is the opportunity to build relationships,” Sullivan said.

Officers rotated through seven scenario-based drills, including a simulated riot where protesters hurled wooden blocks meant to simulate bricks, bottles and trash while chanting. Trainers also staged simultaneous situations, such as protecting a lawmaker while confronting a suspicious man nearby who turned out to have a gun.

The training featured drones, bike and foot patrols, and armored officers with shields and batons. A Secret Service mobile command vehicle with satellite internet coordinated responses across multiple radio frequencies and even had the capability to deploy its own drone.

Both agencies emphasized that they continue to meet with advocacy groups before, during and after demonstrations. Capitol Police also highlighted its new “dialogue unit,” which works with protest organizers ahead of events to ensure demonstrations remain peaceful while maintaining better communication with advocacy groups for safer outcomes.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Secret Service hosted what officials say was one of the nation’s largest civil disturbance unit trainings, with more than 600 officers taking part.

The exercise, held Friday at the James J. Rowley Training Center in Laurel, Maryland, drew officers from more than a dozen state, county and city agencies, with other federal partners including National Guard and Homeland Security observing the drills — an effort formed by the security concerns of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Capitol Police Officer Aaron Davis, who responded on Jan. 6, helped lead the exercises.

“We want it to be as real as possible, we wanted this to be the environment where we make our mistakes,” he said. “We want to be able to say, ‘Hey, this is what we did wrong, this is what we need to correct.’”

Capitol Police Assistant Chief Sean Gallagher said the agency is preparing for unprecedented dangers.

“We’ve taken lessons of the past, incorporated them into these scenarios, the goal with this is to be proactive, not reactive, to be ready for anything that should occur on Capitol grounds,” Gallagher said.

The training marked the third joint exercise between Capitol Police and the Secret Service, according to law enforcement leaders.

Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan said the event has helped strengthen interagency ties.

“Training like this is incredibly important; this is the opportunity to build relationships,” Sullivan said.

Officers rotated through seven scenario-based drills, including a simulated riot where protesters hurled wooden blocks meant to simulate bricks, bottles and trash while chanting. Trainers also staged simultaneous situations, such as protecting a lawmaker while confronting a suspicious man nearby who turned out to have a gun.

The training featured drones, bike and foot patrols, and armored officers with shields and batons. A Secret Service mobile command vehicle with satellite internet coordinated responses across multiple radio frequencies and even had the capability to deploy its own drone.

Both agencies emphasized that they continue to meet with advocacy groups before, during and after demonstrations. Capitol Police also highlighted its new “dialogue unit,” which works with protest organizers ahead of events to ensure demonstrations remain peaceful while maintaining better communication with advocacy groups for safer outcomes.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump declined to comment on the letter he allegedly signed for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th “birthday book” in 2003, calling it a “dead issue” when asked by NBC News.

“I don’t comment on something that’s a dead issue. I gave all comments to the staff. It’s a dead issue,” Trump said on Tuesday morning, according to NBC News.

On Monday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released an image of the birthday message allegedly sent by Trump, after the panel received documents and communications from Epstein’s estate.

Trump’s denied writing the letter, calling it “fake” after the Wall Street Journal first reported on the alleged birthday book and the contribution from Trump in mid-July. Trump also filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the newspaper. Dow Jones, the parent company of the Journal, said it has full confidence in the accuracy of the reporting.

The White House on Monday denied the signature on the birthday message belongs to the president.

“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X.

Trump hasn’t publicly weighed in on the latest developments beyond his brief comments to NBC News.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, on Tuesday took aim at Democrats on the panel for their handling of the documents received from the Epstein estate.

“The Democrats, they find one thing in there, and they promote it and try to get a narrative. This investigation is about providing justice and accountability for the victims,” Comer said.

Comer also told reporters the committee expects to receive more documents as part of its Epstein probe.

“We’ve got a lot more documents we expect to get in,” he said. “We’re going to bring a lot of people in for deposition, so this investigation is moving along very rapidly, and hopefully we’ll get some answers and some justice very soon.”

Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking member on the panel, said after Monday’s disclosure that Trump has more to answer for on the Epstein matter.

“The Oversight Committee has secured the infamous ‘Birthday Book’ that contains a note from President Trump that he has said does not exist,” Garcia said in a statement. “It’s time for the President to tell us the truth about what he knew and release all the Epstein files. The American people are demanding answers.”

Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy and child sex trafficking. He died in custody a month later, while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

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(WASHINGTON) — The State Department has approved funding to address the fallout from deadly flooding in Pakistan, marking the first assistance of its kind to be authorized under the second Trump administration.

“The United States stands with the people of Pakistan, whose lives have been uprooted by widespread, catastrophic flooding. On September 5, the U.S. Department of State approved a monetary response to deliver food, shelter, and other forms of lifesaving disaster relief to impacted communities,” a press release first seen by ABC News said.

“We are poised to coordinate with the Government of Pakistan and trusted relief organizations on the ground to deliver aid to the most affected areas,” a State Department spokesperson said.

The State Department has not revealed how much money it has devoted to flood recovery efforts.

The U.S. military’s Central Command also delivered an initial shipment of “urgent, life-saving assistance to Pakistan” in the immediate aftermath of the floods, according to a previously issued release.

The Trump administration has previously come under fire for making dramatic cuts to foreign assistance, including shuttering USAID—the agency that would normally be charged with coordinating the U.S. response to a natural disaster in a foreign country.

Jeremy Lewin, a senior official performing the duties of Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom at the department, touted the assistance for Pakistan as a success story for the Trump administration’s approach.

“Our rapid support for the United States’ close ally Pakistan offers yet another example of the efficiency and effectiveness of the State Department’s new integrated America First foreign assistance capabilities,” Lewin told ABC News.

“Within 72 hours, the Department was able to deploy U.S. government disaster response personnel, program new assistance to assist more than 300,000 affected people, and coordinate military deliveries of critical aid supplies,” he added.

Pakistan has experienced a series of deadly floods through the summer monsoon season, but a fresh deluge of heavy rain in early September intensified the humanitarian crisis.

According to Pakistan officials, more than 1.3 million have been displaced by the devastating floods and hundreds have been killed.

“As Americans, we understand this devastation and will be contributing lifesaving disaster relief that will deliver food and shelter to impacted communities across Pakistan,” said Bethany Poulos Morrison, the State Department’s senior official for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

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(WASHINGTON) — The GOP-led House Oversight Committee says it has obtained documents and communications from the Jeffrey Epstein estate on Monday — including the Epstein “birthday book,” which is said to contain the letter that President Donald Trump allegedly signed for Epstein’s 50th birthday.

Ranking Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia posted a photo on X that Democrats say is the page attributed to Trump.

Trump has denied writing the letter — calling it “fake.”

The White House is denying that the image shared by Democrats is the president’s signature. In a post on X, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich said “Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature. DEFAMATION!”

The committee issued a subpoena in late August for information from the estate, which included a copy of the alleged birthday book compiled for the disgraced financier’s 50th birthday. The committee had requested a delivery of the documents — which includes banking and financial records, flights logs and calendars — on or before Sept. 8, 2025.

The “birthday book” was compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, and the Wall Street Journal reported it contains a “bawdy” letter from Trump.

Trump denied the existence of the letter and filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal.

Dow Jones, the parent company of the newspaper, in response to the lawsuit said in a statement that it has “full confidence in the rigor and accuracy” of its reporting and “will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”

Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell told a top official for the Justice Department that Epstein asked her to coordinate contributions to his 50th birthday book, but said she could not recall if Trump, then a private citizen, was among those who responded, according to a transcript of Maxwell’s interview last month with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 by a federal jury on sex trafficking and other charges. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for aiding and participating in Epstein’s trafficking of underage girls, which involved a scheme to recruit young women and girls for massages of Epstein that turned sexual. Federal prosecutors in New York said Maxwell helped Epstein recruit, groom and ultimately abuse girls as young as 14. In the interview with the Justice Department official, Maxwell continued to profess her innocence.

Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy and child sex trafficking. He died in custody a month later, while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

Although the documents are expected to be turned over to the committee on Monday, it may not mean the committee will release all of the documents to the public on the same day.

Last week, the House Oversight Committee released tens of thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein, much of which was already publicly known.

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