Advocacy groups say Trump and allies’ calls for investigations represent attempt to ‘quash dissent’
The president, vice-president and members of Congress have begun calling for the government to investigate progressive organizations in the wake of the Charlie Kirk murder, in terms those targeted say are reminiscent of the House Un-American Activities Committee and the “red scare” of the 1950s.
Donald Trump, speaking to Fox & Friends on Friday, presented “vicious and horrible” radicals on the left of US politics as a roadblock to the country coming together politically after the shooting. On Sunday, he amplified his attack on political enemies by declaring that “a lot of people that you would traditionally say are on the left … [are] already under investigation”.
The posture is being echoed by members of his administration.
“With God as my witness, we are going to use every resource we have at the DoJ, Homeland Security, and throughout this government, to identify, disrupt, dismantle, and destroy these networks,” said Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, speaking to Vice-President JD Vance while Vance guest-hosted Kirk’s podcast Monday. “We will do it in Charlie’s name.”
