What follows is a transcript of an exclusive AFP interview with a panel of esteemed guests about the recent assassinations of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska. What do their murders mean? Is America headed for a new civil war? Are white Christians safe from leftist violence in America?
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American Free Press: What should the United States government do in response to this seemingly politically motivated murder?
Fmr. U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa): I believe President Donald Trump is on solid ground when he suggests there is a racketeering case to be made against George Soros. When he raises concerns about Soros, he also needs to address the entire network of left-wing 501(c)(3) organizations that are dodging tax obligations and receiving funding from our federal government. These organizations need to be dismantled.
You’ve seen it in the efforts out there in the streets—events like George Floyd’s death, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the riots—they’re all funded. When they sent all those women to Washington, D.C. for Trump’s first inauguration wearing those pink hats, that was also funded.
There is a strategic effort to break down civil society, and the left believes they can somehow emerge in power from that chaos.
The murder of Charlie Kirk, whom I got to call a friend, has awakened what some might call a “sleeping giant,” and has inspired the youth in this country. This younger generation can be the antidote to the mistakes my generation made in the 1960s.
AFP: Is it fair to consider the mainstream media accomplices in Charlie Kirk’s murder?
Steve King: This has been an ongoing effort for a long time, and it is orchestrated by individuals like Soros and others. He is certainly not the only one involved. The media is part of this, and they are culpable, as well. All of them are part of this network. If the American people understood what was happening, they would surely believe they should face consequences for their actions. We need to discuss the potential judgment that can come.
AFP: After Kirk’s murder, Elon Musk posted on X, “We must either fight back, or they will kill us.” Steve Bannon commented, “We are headed for a civil war.” What is your take on the situation?
Lew Moore, former congressional chief-of-staff and Ron Paul’s presidential campaign manager:
What I find troubling is the fact that Antifa has been able to run rampant across this country for several years, including throughout the entire first Trump term. They continue to attack ICE officers and U.S. marshals every single night in Portland, Ore., and they wreak havoc in Seattle as well. They even display banners over freeways threatening, “We are going to kill you when conservatives come to town to speak.” This violence is occurring all over America.
I want to emphasize that Trump is going to be tested in this situation. Charlie Kirk had been one of his closest political allies and was absolutely indispensable to his victory in 2024. As I often say, you’re not serious about politics unless you are willing to confront your enemies.
This confrontation begins with individuals on the street and extends to influential figures like George Soros and others. We need to see this decisive action from Trump now.
AFP: If you had the ear of the president, what would you advise?
Moore: We need to implement Palmer Raids. In 1919, authorities rounded up thousands of suspected communists in one night. What are they doing in the Justice Department? They know where these individuals are and who is funding them.
It is not enough to fire a few brainless schoolteachers who made bad-taste videos on TikTok. We have to go after these people now in a serious way, and I’m not sure if the political will is there because we haven’t seen it up until now.
AFP: What would be an appropriate response for conservatives?
Moore: With the RICO statutes alone, they could roll up a ton of these people if they put their mind to doing it. This includes those financing these operations, and that’s where the rub is, because these individuals are powerful elites. There is a whole web of billionaires involved with this. Let me assure you of that.
I’m not revealing anything new here; anyone who has done their research knows this. It’s pretty seamless from these violent, vile Antifa people all the way up to the highest echelons of the left in this country.
We need to take this historic opportunity to roll them up. And they can. They’ve got the legal tools. There are 30,000 FBI agents, for God’s sake. They’ve built that thing into a monster.
AFP: Many people believe that the murders of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska, the young Ukrainian woman who was killed by a black man on a train in Charlotte, N.C., may be the events that finally break the dam. Is that possible?
Jared Taylor, editor of American Renaissance: You never know. Predictions about the future can be quite tricky, just as Mark Twain used to say. But we must not rest. This is the time to be even more active. This is an opportunity we cannot let slip through our fingers.
As more people come our way, we need to encourage and lead them. I do believe that, if enough of us truly concentrate and put our shoulders to the wheel, this could be a genuine turning point.
But there are two reasons for all the interest in Zarutska’s murder. First, she was a beautiful girl. Many photographs of her are available online, and some make her look almost like a fashion model. She was indeed a knockout, a gorgeous girl.
The second reason is the horror of that video. In it, she is attacked from behind and reacts in fear. What is particularly striking is the behavior of the other passengers on the tram. Instead of intervening, they simply look around as if to say, “I think I’d rather be somewhere else, thank you,” and they exit without offering any help or even glancing back. Not a single person lifts a finger to assist her.
In one of his last acts on this Earth, Charlie Kirk raised awareness about her death and committed to fighting for a better, safer world.
AFP: Charlie Kirk seemed to have really been coming around on controversial issues in the months leading up to his assassination, including racial realities. Remarkably, the last social media post he ever made read, “If we want things to change, it’s 100% necessary to politicize the senseless murder of Iryna Zarutska because it was politics that allowed a savage monster with 14 priors to be free on the streets to kill her.”
Peter Brimelow, former editor of Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and VDare: It’s quite an extraordinary situation. These positions were not being driven by his donors. In fact, he was under enormous stress related to his donor base. My eldest daughter actually worked for Charlie Kirk. I attended several of his events.
By the end of his life, he had shifted sharply to the right regarding immigration. I must say, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I’ve never seen anyone evolve as quickly. He started off as a Bush-era immigration enthusiast and ended up calling for an immigration moratorium. The only example I can think of that mirrors this is the epiphany of Michelle Malkin.
Kirk died stronger than ever, and I believe it represents a huge change in society that is profoundly significant. He was one of the most effective voices on the right for the Trump administration. The whole situation with Kirk, Elon Musk, and others like them is what’s really making a difference.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the wake of all this. I think Stephen Miller is a pretty tough guy. For better or worse, he can be very ruthless, and I’ve admired how he has managed to survive in the White House, something I certainly couldn’t possibly have done.
AFP: Is the murder of Charlie Kirk a turning point? What does it mean, and where do we go from here?
Kevin DeAnna, author of Waking Up from the American Dream:
Well, if this doesn’t do it, it’s hard to say what will. There’s a long history within our movement of people claiming, “This is the thing that’s going to do it.” And, of course, nothing ever truly does. When I was a kid, the events that many thought would push us to the next level were the L.A. riots and the O.J. Simpson trial, but those did not result in a mass movement.
What’s changed now is that we are seeing mainstream figures take this up. At this point, there’s really no distinguishing distance between the opinions. The idea that American conservatives would simply roll over and take it, or that they would constantly try to differentiate themselves by saying, “We’re not like the other side. We’re better than that. We’re not going to fight back,” seems to be gone for good.
This shift is especially pronounced considering how Charlie Kirk, who was quite moderate and non-offensive, was treated. This is a guy who wanted to engage in public debate.
More than the murder itself, the reaction from the left across the country—coming not just from marginalized groups or anti-fascist individuals but from public school teachers, nurses, professors, employees of major corporations, and even folks in the Defense Department—is noteworthy. Many are pushing to get these people fired. One thing we cannot do is return to the way things used to be. What’s empowering about this situation is that we’re getting the power now that the left has wielded over us for years.
The hard reality is that action must come from the administration. We need to see accountability for those who incite violence—it’s crucial. For instance, we should be witnessing arrests and consequences for individuals involved in Antifa.
If there isn’t a crackdown on the left comparable to the actions taken against the right after the events of 2017 in Charlottesville, Va., this will ultimately be perceived as a victory for the forces of leftism.
The Trump administration must use its authority decisively at this point. We often debate whether this is a battle of ideas or something else, but ultimately it comes down to power.
If the administration does not take action now, when it has the opportunity, it will be a missed chance.
