Offline with Jon Favreau Inside the MAGA Reaction to Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
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Sep 18, 2025 Will Sommer, a journalist at The Bulwark and author of the newsletter False Flag, delves into the fallout from Charlie Kirk's assassination. He discusses Kirk's pivotal role in shaping the MAGA movement and the chaotic reactions from right-wing influencers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson scrambling for control of his legacy. The conversation also explores the intense backlash and conspiracy theories emerging post-tragedy, raising questions about extremism within the movement and the future of Turning Point USA.
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Assassination Accelerated Political Crackdown
- Jon Favreau warns the assassination shifted public officials' focus from the killer to punishing political opponents.
- He argues this intensifies a preexisting government crackdown on speech and civil liberties.
Nonviolence Works Better Than Assassination
- Favreau rejects political violence as an effective strategy and emphasizes nonviolent resistance's power.
- He frames nonviolence as persuasive political strategy that builds lasting democratic change.
Kirk's Rapid Rise And Media Empire
- Will Sommer recounts Charlie Kirk's rise from obscurity to a major MAGA media and organizational figure.
- He notes Kirk built Turning Point USA into a fundraising and media empire allied with the Trump family.