What we covered here
• New details: Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s murder, apparently confessed to the killing in a small chat group on the online platform Discord, the Washington Post reported today.
• Suspect’s note: FBI Director Kash Patel provided new details about an alleged note written by the suspect. His interview with Fox was highly unusual, as FBI officials and Justice Department prosecutors generally avoid giving investigative details in a case that will be prosecuted.
• Crime crackdown: With the investigation into Kirk’s killing ongoing, President Donald Trump is continuing to push his crime crackdown agenda. Today he’s taking executive action to send a federal law enforcement task force to Memphis and plans to send a similar task force to Chicago next.
Our live coverage has ended for the day. Get the latest here.
House Republicans quietly advance provision denying Congress’ power to nix Trump tariff authority
House GOP leaders quietly included a provision in a rule today to restrict the House’s ability to challenge President Donald Trump’s tariff authority until March 31.
The measure was adopted by the House Rules Committee on Monday night and heads to the floor for a vote as soon as Tuesday.
The provision would extend the restriction that has been in place for months at the behest of Speaker Mike Johnson and to pushback on lawmakers from both parties who have balked at Trump’s tariffs.
The rule needs to be adopted to advance a separate bill related to DC crime, which would lower the age of minors to be tried as an adult for certain crimes in DC to the age of 14.
Patel says suspect in Kirk assassination wrote “some hatred cannot be negotiated with” in text exchange
The suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination wrote “some hatred cannot be negotiated with” in a text exchange, FBI Director Kash Patel said tonight.
“I will say what was found in terms of information, a text message exchange where he, the suspect, specifically stated that he had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and he was going to do that, and when he was asked why, he said, ‘Some hatred cannot be negotiated with,’” Patel said on Fox News.
Patel’s comments come despite Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose Justice Department oversees the FBI, saying she cannot discuss details of the ongoing investigation.
“I can’t talk about details at all,” Bondi said earlier on Fox News.
Patel also said tonight, “We’re going to be interviewing scores of people on not just these chats on Discord, but any communications that this individual had.”
“We’ve seized multiple electronic devices from the home of the suspect and his romantic partner. We’ve got computers, we’ve got laptops, we’ve got gaming systems, we’ve got cellphones, all of that is being triaged by the FBI because that’s what we do,” he said.
Background: Patel initially revealed some details about an alleged message earlier Monday, when he said the suspect, Tyler Robinson, wrote that he had the “opportunity to take out” the conservative influencer, and “I’m going to take it.” The message was written prior to Wednesday’s shooting, Patel told Fox News. It’s unclear which form the message took; Patel described it as both a “note” and a “text message exchange.” He said the writing had since been “destroyed” but was recovered by investigators.
Michigan Gov. Whitmer urges people not to engage in extreme political rhetoric
Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday called for individuals not to engage in extreme rhetoric amid recent political violence, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
“Threats against our lieutenant governor and several state legislators, similar threats at HBCUs and political organizations across the country, a school shooting in Colorado, and of course the murder of Charlie Kirk. We continue to face an endless flood of extreme rhetoric on social media, adding fuel to the fire,” Whitmer said in a video posted to social media.
Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said last week there was a credible bomb threat to his home. Whitmer herself was the target of a kidnapping plot in 2020.
Whitmer continued in her video: “After everything we’ve been through, I’m still hopeful because I know we also have goodness and kindness in each of us.”
Whitmer’s comments come as President Donald Trump has ramped up his attacks on the “radical left,” whom he has blamed for Kirk’s death and for broader political violence — a sharp contrast from his responses to violence against Democrats.
Deputy AG Blanche doesn’t confirm whether federal charges will come against Charlie Kirk shooting suspect
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Monday said the Justice Department was still deciding whether to bring federal charges against Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s murder.
Asked by Fox News when federal charges will come, Blanche said, “Well it depends on if there is a federal charge.”
“There’s not that many murder charges that are federal. … There’s stalking, there is certain deprivation of rights charges that we possibly could bring. But that goes after going through all the evidence and trying to understand what was this man’s motivation was in doing what he did. And if there’s a federal charge we will bring it – no doubt about it,” he continued. “But if there’s not a federal charge, we’re gonna do everything we can to support Utah and make sure that they get everything they need from us.”
CNN previously reported that federal prosecutors are evaluating possible charges they could bring against Robinson – who is facing multiple initial state charges, including murder. He is set to make a court appearance in Utah on Tuesday.
It is unclear whether any federal charges would be in addition to or replace state charges.
House speaker said he hoped for more Democratic attendance at vigil for Charlie Kirk
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he was glad to see a bipartisan attendance at the vigil for conservative activist Charlie Kirk tonight, and that he wished there was more participation from Democrats.
Johnson said an invite to the vigil was extended to all members while speaking to reporters after votes.
Republican leadership, including Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain all spoke as they remembered Kirk while surrounded by members holding electric votive candles in Statuary Hall.
CNN spotted half a dozen Democrats in the crowd: Reps. Don Davis, Tom Suozzi, Debbie Dingell, John Larson, Chris Pappas, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.
Trump is blaming the radical left for Kirk's death — but keeping quiet about far-right rhetoric
President Donald Trump and other key members of his administration are blaming the killing of Charlie Kirk on radical members of the left, while keeping quiet about far-right rhetoric that has been directed at Democrats in recent months.
In the Oval Office today, Trump said the suspect was “radicalized over the internet,” and that his radicalization was “on the left.”
“He’s a left. A lot of problems with the left, and they get protected, and they shouldn’t be protected,” the president said. Trump also said he would consider designating Antifa and other left-wing groups as “domestic terrorists.”
Trump made similar statements yesterday: “When you look at the problems, the problem is on the left,” the president told reporters Sunday. “It’s not on the right.”
Meantime, earlier today, Vice President JD Vance offered similar comments while guest hosting Kirk’s podcast: “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.”
And top Republican members of Congress are not weighing in on the president’s rehtoric. Senate Majority Leader John Thune today would not call on Trump to condemn political violence from right-wing actors at the same time he loudly decries violence from left.
“The president can speak for himself,” he said.
Thune did, however, call on Americans to respect views they differ with and have debates without inciting violence.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also deflected a question about the topic. Asked if Trump should also condemn right-wing violence against Democratic politicians, Johnson responded, “I think the president has been very clear in condemning violence.”
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Ted Barrett, Alison Main, Manu Raju and Alejandra Jaramillo contributed reporting to this post.
Netanyahu did not give US heads up about plans to strike Qatar, Trump says
President Donald Trump said today that he received no direct heads-up from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel was planning last week’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar, suggesting instead he only learned of the attack as it was underway.
“Same way you did,” he said when asked how he learned of the strike, which targeted political leaders of the terror group living in the Qatari capital Doha.
The White House said on the day of the attack that the administration was only informed of it by the US military, and without enough time to intervene.
Trump later said he was “unhappy” with how Israel conducted the strike, claiming it did little to advance US objectives for ending the war in Gaza. He’s also sought to underscore the importance of US-Qatar ties, which have been tested after the attack.
Today, he appeared certain that Israel wouldn’t repeat the action, saying Netanyahu “won’t be hitting Qatar.”
It wasn’t clear what gave Trump confidence that his Israeli counterpart would heed his words of caution. Hours earlier, Netanyahu declined to rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders “wherever they are.”
Trump says he'll speak at Charlie Kirk's funeral this weekend
President Donald Trump said he plans to speak Sunday at Charlie Kirk’s funeral in Phoenix, Arizona.
“We’re going to have a stadium, and I bet that stadium is going to be pretty packed, maybe completely packed. It’s going to be big, but I’m going to be at the stadium, and I guess I’ll say a few words,” Trump said when asked about whether he would speak.
Trump added that they would be taking “a whole plane load” of people to the funeral. Kirk was a staunch Trump ally and had deep relationships throughout the administration. The president said he didn’t yet know what his message would be, but that Kirk was “an amazing guy.”
A source familiar with the planning around the funeral confirmed Trump was expected to speak Sunday.
On another note, Trump said he would have ordered flags to fly at half-staff following the murder of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman — like he did for Kirk — if her state’s Gov. Tim Walz had asked him. In the immediate aftermath of Hortman’s shooting, Trump had refused to call Walz to offer condolences, instead calling him “whacked out.”
CNN’s Adam Cancryn contributed to this report.
Trump says he thinks Charlie Kirk killing suspect was "radicalized" online
President Donald Trump said Monday that he believed the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing was “radicalized over the internet,” and that his radicalization was “on the left.”
Indicating that his information came “by watching the same things that you’re watching and hearing,” the president suggested that suspect had a solid upbringing, then something changed rapidly.
“It looks like he became radicalized over the internet, and it seems like he has wonderful parents, born in a wonderful neighborhood, smart guy, great boards, great marks, great student,” Trump said, adding, “then something happened to him over a fairly short period of time.”
Trump said the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was “radicalized on the left,” though he didn’t offer more details of his political viewpoints.
“He’s a left. A lot of problems with the left, and they get protected, and they shouldn’t be protected,” Trump said.
The president later clarified that his view of how the suspect was radicalized was a personal view.
“By the way, when I say that, that’s my opinion. I think he was radicalized online based on what they’re saying,” Trump said.
Trump says he would designate Antifa, other left-wing groups as "domestic terrorists"
President Donald Trump said Monday he’d consider naming far-left anti-fascism group Antifa as domestic terrorists, previewing a plan to crack down on what he’s cast as a widespread network of left-wing radicals inciting violence.
“It’s something I would do, yeah,” he said when questioned whether he would assign a domestic terrorism label to Antifa, saying he would proceed if he found support from Cabinet officials and the Justice Department.
It wasn’t clear who or what Trump would designate; Antifa is a loosely organized movement without a distinct leader, membership lists or structure.
But the president appeared intent on targeting left-wing groups whose activity he claims has led to violence.
“Antifa is terrible. There are other groups,” he said in the Oval Office. “We have some pretty radical groups, and they got away with murder,” he added without citing any evidence.
Trump also said he’d been discussing with Attorney General Pam Bondi the prospect of bringing racketeering charges against left-wing groups that he claimed were funding left-wing agitators.
“I’ve asked Pam to look into that in terms of RICO, bringing RICO cases,” he said, adding: “They should be put in jail, what they’re doing to this country is really subversive.”
Trump was speaking after a host of administration officials previewed an effort to crack down on what they claim is a coordinated left-wing effort to incite violence after the assassination last week of Charlie Kirk.
So far, no evidence has emerged in public that the alleged assassin was working as part of a larger, coordinated effort.
Trump gives stark warning to Hamas if they continue using hostages as "human shields"
After he said he read a report that Hamas moved hostages to be used as “human shields” in Gaza, President Donald Trump warned the group today that if it continued those moves, then “ALL ‘BETS’ ARE OFF.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement shortly after Trump’s post: “Thank you President Trump for your unflinching support for Israel’s battle against Hamas and the release of all our hostages.”
The US president’s missive follows the Israeli military striking multiple high-rise buildings in Gaza City yesterday after warning people to leave several neighborhoods. It’s the latest round of destruction since Israel ordered a complete evacuation of the city.
Trump takes executive action to send federal law enforcement to Memphis
President Donald Trump took executive action today to establish a “Memphis Safe Task Force” aimed at leading a crime crackdown in the Tennessee city.
The move mirrors the stepped-up law enforcement effort that the federal government oversaw in Washington, DC. Trump said that after Memphis, he planned to send a similar federal task force to Chicago.
“It’s very important because of the crime that’s going on, not only in Memphis, in many cities,” Trump said from the Oval Office, where signed a presidential memorandum creating the task force. “The task force will be a replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts here, and you’ll see it’s a lot of the same thing.”
The National Guard and law enforcement from several federal agencies will be dispatched to Memphis, including, the FBI, ATF, DEA, ICE and Homeland Security, Trump said.
Meanwhile: Thune and Schumer trade barbs over government shutdown
Senate Majority Leader John Thune accused his Democratic counterpart of angling for a government shutdown at the end of the month to appease “a portion of their base” that he said wants “to pick a fight with the Trump administration.”
He reiterated that Republicans are proposing a stopgap bill to keep the government funded into November and would want to pass the package “as soon as this week.”
“We will be putting forward a clean resolution to ensure there is no reason for Democrats to oppose this bill and delay passage. My hope would be that we could get this done as soon as this week and then continue bipartisan work on appropriations bills,” he said.
The Republican leader said he “can’t imagine what Democrats think they’re going to gain from this.”
Schumer, meanwhile, argued that Republicans will shoulder the blame for any shutdown and continued to demand bipartisan negotiations.
Democrats, Schumer said, want talks with Trump and Republicans about issues like “health care, Medicaid and the cost of living.”
For context: Trump pressured hardliners in a Truth Social post to fall in line as Speaker Mike Johnson looks to move a stopgap bill through the House this week. “Republicans have to stick TOGETHER to fight back against the Radical Left Democrat demands, and vote ‘YES!’ on both Votes needed to pass a Clean CR this week out of the House of Representatives,” he wrote.
This post has been updated with additional developments.
Other headlines you might have missed from the Trump administration today
The killing of Charlie Kirk is fueling public discourse today as new details come out about the suspected shooter — but there are also several other key headlines emerging from around the Trump administration.
Here are some of them to catch up on:
- Government shutdown deadline: With the deadline to fund the government creeping closer at the end of the month, President Donald Trump called on House Republicans to unite and support a “clean” stopgap government funding bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson said leadership doesn’t have the text of a short-term funding bill yet because they are “trying to resolve” security funding issues.
- Crime crackdown: City leaders in Memphis are speaking out against Trump’s plan to send National Guard troops there next. In a press release today, the White House said it’s part of Trump’s effort to “dismantle the violent crime crisis fueled by failed Democrat policies.” Memphis City Council member Janika White said the city could use more federal funding and federal partnerships, not troops.
- Important vaccine advisory committee: Five new members have been named to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee, the US Department of Health and Human Services said. The committee, which will meet later this week, is tasked with reviewing the latest science on vaccines and then making recommendations to the CDC.
- Rural health care: States can start applying today for the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program that was created by Trump’s domestic policy agenda package in July. The money can be used for a variety of purposes, but critics say it’s not enough to make up for the losses that rural health care providers will suffer from what Republicans called their “big, beautiful bill.”
Crews at Utah Valley University replace concrete where Charlie Kirk event was held
Crews at Utah Valley University, where Charlie Kirk was killed while hosting an event last week, are replacing the concrete slab in the courtyard where he was shot.
Members of the public have been allowed to come in to lay flowers and pay tribute to Kirk in the courtyard.
Rubio was in Israel today. Here's what he said about Gaza, Qatar and more
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Israel today after a deadly Israeli strike in Doha last week set the region further on edge.
Here’s a recap of what’s on the top US diplomat’s schedule:
- Yesterday, Rubio visited the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
- He met again with Netanyahu this morning.
- This evening, Rubio will go to the opening of the Pilgrimage Road at the City of David, a controversial archeological dig in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem.
- After Israel, Rubio will go to Qatar, a senior State Department official confirmed.
Here’s what Rubio said today:
Strike in Qatar: Trying to look ahead, Rubio said Qatar and Israel should concentrate on efforts to free the hostages being held in Gaza and defeat Hamas, rather than the Israeli strike in Doha. Rubio said “we want everybody focused on what comes next.”
Relationship with allies: He did not condemn Israel’s military operation, and said the strike does not affect the US’ relationship with Israel. Still, Rubio also acknowledged that Qatari officials have shared with the US that they are not happy about the attack.
Intensifying operations in Gaza: Rubio conveyed to Netanyahu that Israel has the full support of the US, but the Gaza City offensive should move quickly, according to three Israeli sources.
End to the war: Rubio said if the war in Gaza won’t end through diplomacy, “it’s going to have to end through a military operation.” However, he also told Netanyahu that the Trump administration still believes that Qatar can be a constructive mediator in ceasefire negotiations, according an Israeli source.
Alleged drug boat: The US has “100 percent fidelity and certainty” that an alleged drug boat destroyed by the US military was “ultimately” going to reach the United States, Rubio said. “What needs to start happening is some of these boats need to get blown up,” he told Fox News.
Washington Post: Charlie Kirk shooting suspect appears to confess in online chat
Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s murder, apparently confessed to killing the right-wing activist in a small chat group on the online platform Discord, the Washington Post reported today.
A series of messages sent by Robinson to a small group of people show him saying he had “bad news,” and that it was “me at UVU yesterday,” the Post said, citing sources and screenshots the Post viewed.
He told the group that he would be surrendering shortly and thanked them for “all the good times and laughs,” the outlet said, adding it didn’t appear anyone responded to the chat.
CNN has reached out to law enforcement about Discord chats in the case, as well as the Utah Department of Public Safety for comment.
Robinson sent the messages about two hours before he was taken into custody, the Post said.
Vance blames a "growing and powerful minority on the far left" for Charlie Kirk's death
Vice President JD Vance blamed Charlie Kirk’s death on “a growing and powerful minority on the far left,” in his concluding remarks while hosting “The Charlie Kirk Show” today.
“We can thank God that most Democrats don’t share these attitudes, and I do, while acknowledging that something has gone very wrong with a lunatic fringe, a minority, but a growing and powerful minority on the far left,” Vance said on the show.
Vance added that there could be “no unity” with the people who “celebrate Charlie Kirk’s assassination” or “people who scream at children over their parents’ politics.” He was referencing a time he went to Disneyland with his kids, when he said multiple people yelled offensive things at his family.
“There was a loud and very vocal minority that would shout at my children, who were eight, five and three, whenever they got the opportunity. ‘You should disown your dad, you little sh*t,’ one middle-aged woman yelled at my five year old,” Vance said. “‘Tell the Secret Service to protect the Constitution, not your father,’ screamed another.”
“Are these women violent? Probably not. Are they deranged? Certainly,” Vance concluded, claiming it was a “statistical fact” that “most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the far left.”
Vance’s comments echo recent remarks by President Donald Trump and others within the administration. Speaking to NBC News on Saturday, Trump said he wants the nation to “heal,” but added, “We’re dealing with a radical left group of lunatics, and they don’t play fair and they never did.”
Utah Democrats have received threats after Charlie Kirk's assassination, state lawmaker says
Utah Democrats have received threatening calls and messages since Charlie Kirk was killed last week, Democratic state Rep. Angela Romero told CNN’s Pamela Brown and Wolf Blitzer, calling it “a real eye-opener” to be blamed for Kirk’s death.
Romero, the Democratic leader in the state House, said that one person called “almost every Democrat,” calling them names and telling them to “leave the state,” with a tone that she described as “really frightening.”
Asked by Blitzer whether state lawmakers are considering any bills in response to the fatal shooting, Romero said that “those are conversations we’re going to have.” She and Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla are also weighing an appropriation request related to safety and security funding, Romero said.
