US President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of the “radical left” in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Trump said, “I’d like to see it [the nation] heal,” adding, “but we’re dealing with a radical left group of lunatics, and they don’t play fair and they never did.”Trump’s comments came after Kirk, a conservative activist, was allegedly shot by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson during a speech Wednesday at Utah Valley University. Trump added, “We’ll see what happens. They [the left] don’t like what’s been happening. We’ve been winning very big.”Public records show Robinson last registered to vote on July 13, 2021, with no political party declared. Authorities say he had only recently shown interest in politics, and a relative recalled him criticising Kirk at a dinner prior to the university event.Investigators reported that Robinson left behind bullet casings etched with references to fascism, internet memes, and video games. He now faces charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice. Authorities are continuing to investigate Robinson and the shooting, including a possible motive.After the shooting, Trump released a video from the Oval Office pledging that his administration would ferret out “each and every one of those who contributed this atrocity … including the organisations that fund and support it.” In a Fox & Friends appearance Friday, he singled out Democratic megadonor George Soros, suggesting possible violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law.Asked about Soros in the NBC interview, Trump said, “He should be put in jail. He’s a bad guy.” The Open Society Foundations, led by Soros and his son Alex, responded that they do not support violent protests and called the allegations “false” and “outrageous,” emphasising that their mission advances human rights and constitutional freedoms.
