Charlie Kirk and the rise of political violence in the US
The Story12 Sep 2025

Charlie Kirk and the rise of political violence in the US

A sunny afternoon at Utah Valley University suddenly became a scene of terror when the right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a campus event on Wednesday, 10 September. His death was quickly described as an “assassination” by President Trump, and it is the latest in a worrying spate of politically-motivated attacks in the US. So what’s behind this trend? Is political violence becoming normalised?


This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory


Guest: Katy Balls, Washington Editor and Columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times.

Host: Manveen Rana.

Producer: Shabnam Grewal and Micaela Arneson.

Read more:

Search for Utah Valley University shooter after two suspects released

Who was Charlie Kirk? TikTok wizard who conjured up Trump youth vote

Clips: New York Post, Republic TV, CNN, KTLA 5, Fox News, Charlie Kirk via Instagram, President Trump via Truth Social

Photo: Getty Images

Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com


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