Violence and Turmoil at Home and Abroad - “The Sunday Political Brunch”
Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™
Violence and Turmoil at Home and Abroad - “The Sunday Political Brunch”
“More Political Violence” – Conservative influencer and Trump supporter Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The 31-year-old Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA, a popular podcast among young people. Condemnation of the attack was bipartisan. "Charlie is a very, actually, a very good friend of mine. It, it scares you to death for him and his family," said Sen. Rick Scott, (R) Florida. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) California issued a statement on X saying, "The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form." Investigators say the 22-year-old suspect simply did not like Kirk’s political views. They say he was a registered voter, but not a member of either party, and did not vote the past two elections.
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“Setting the Tone” – Sadly, I don’t think it will be the last of political violence in the U.S. We had two assassination attempts on then-former President Donald Trump in 2024, and the fire bomb attack on the state mansion where Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) Pennsylvania, resides with his family. And we had two high-level legislators in Minnesota gunned down earlier this year. Many on both sides of the aisle say political rhetoric needs to be toned down in this country. Is that a pipe dream in the nation with the freest speech liberties on the planet? Still, surely, we can be more civil in our discourse. As I’ve said in previous posts on political violence, “If you want change in the direction of this country, do it with ballots, not bullets.” The trend is alarming. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said recently that Capitol Police had tracked close to 14,000 assessments of threats against members of Congress this year, up from 9,000 in 2024.
“More from the Epstein Files” – By dribs and drabs, more stuff is coming out. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a birthday card that Donald Trump purportedly sent Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003. The card has a silhouette of a presumably naked woman’s sketch, and in part says, “Happy Birthday, and may every day be another wonderful secret.” It is signed Donald, in a cursive style similar to authentic Trump signatures. Could it have been faked? Sure. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X, "As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. This is FAKE NEWS to perpetuate the Democrat Epstein Hoax!" House Democrats responded on X, saying, "What is he hiding? Release the files!" Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal for $10 billion for its initial story on the birthday greeting, which he claims was defamation.
“Inspector Trump, We Presume?” – The Epstein-Maxwell sex abuse scandal is not funny. But there have been moments where it has taken on a comical or absurd turn. For example, when Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (D), Louisiana, suggested Trump was an FBI plant in the case, eyebrows were raised. Johnson said of Trump, “When he first heard the (sex trafficking) rumor, he kicked him (Epstein) out of Mar-a-Lago. He was an informant to try to take this stuff down.” Days later, Johnson had to walk back his comments. Speaking to reporters, Johnson said he didn’t use the “right terminology,” but he said he believed Trump removing Epstein from Mar-a-Lago had helped the federal criminal investigation.
“What Does He Know?” – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has fired Peter Mandelson, the UK Ambassador to the U.S. Why? Because of Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But what does Mandelson know, or what is he accused of doing? This raises a lot of questions, given Britain’s Prince Andrew’s ties to Epstein. The prime minister issued a statement saying, in part. “In particular, Peter Mandelson’s suggestion that Jeffrey Epstein’s first conviction was wrongful and should be challenged is new information.” Mandelson sent emails to Epstein urging him to fight his conviction on appeal.
“Trouble Brewing Overseas” – All of a sudden, some hot spots are erupting overseas, and that may quell some of the Trump-Epstein coverage. Russian drones were flown into Poland’s airspace and were shot down by NATO forces, as Poland is a member of that body. Trump reacted on his platform Truth Social, saying, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!” This is definitely a spillover effect from Russia’s war against Ukraine, but it has regional leaders on edge. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed Parliament and said, “This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.” In other tensions, Israel attacked Hamas leaders who were meeting in Qatar, and Israel also bombed the Houthis' strongholds in Yemen. Global instability could quickly become a hot issue in next year’s midterm elections.
“Trump vs. U.S. Open” – I’m not a fan of public or private entities telling the media how to operate its business. I say this because last week President Trump attended the finals of the U.S. Tennis match. The United States Tennis Association told ESPN to “refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the president’s attendance.” The USTA told CNN, “We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions.” I get why they won’t show a drunken fight in the stands or public nudity, but the president is a political figure, and whether he gets cheered or booed is newsworthy. Show him once or twice and then get back to the action. Broadcasters know that fans are tuning in for the sport and not a side show. But don’t insult them with attempts at censorship.
“Disorder in the Courts” – The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in November about whether the tariff increases imposed by Trump are legal. At the same time, the high court has said the White House may freeze billions of dollars in foreign aid, at least for now. In another case, three high-ranking FBI agents who were involved in investigations of Trump are now suing him and FBI Director Kash Patel, after they were fired earlier this year. In a potential loss for Trump, a federal court says Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook may remain on the job as she fights Trump’s efforts to fire her. Other cases are pending as well, such as birthright citizenship and immigrant deportations. My point is, has any other White House even come close to this much litigation? I don’t think so, and this is the 14th presidency in my lifetime.
“Harris on Biden” – Within days of the release of her campaign memoir, it’s not surprising the gloves have come off. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has some harsh words about former President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. Harris confides that many in the White House were too timid to stand up to Biden and try to convince him not to run. “’ It was Joe and Jill’s decision.’ We all said that like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized,” said Harris. She added, “Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness.” In some respects, it reminds me of key White House staffers who toed the line for President Nixon during Watergate. In politics, oftentimes high-level officials don’t want to offend the boss with the truth because they fear retribution or loss of access and power.
“Sen. Joni Ernst to Retire” – Sen. Joni Ernst (R) Iowa, shocked a lot of people when she announced she would not run for reelection in 2026. A 55-year-old decorated Army officer, she has served two terms and was widely seen as a shoo-in for the midterm cycle. A number of Republican officeholders in Iowa are expressing interest, but so far, no Democrat has stepped forward. Still, this is a battleground swing state and gives Democrats a chance to gain one of the four seats they need to take control of the Senate.
“Maine’s Main Senator” – Sen. Susan Collins (R) Maine plans to announce she is running for reelection in 2026. Already, Democrats Jordan Wood and Dan Kleban, plus Independent Phillip Rench, have announced their candidacies. Collins has been a moderate Republican in a reliably blue state, often voting against the Trump agenda. But after five terms in the Senate, she may be vulnerable, especially in a competitive three-way race. Again, it’s a seat Democrats really need to win back the majority. The other Senate seats Democrats are targeting are in Ohio and North Carolina.