Trump's rhetoric after Charlie Kirk death even slammed by Republican congressman

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie believes President Donald Trump and others should tone down their rhetoric after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed.

The Turning Point USA founder was shot and killed during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday (September 10). The investigation continues for law enforcement, who released several images of a "person of interest" as they search for the suspect and a motive.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday (September 11), Trump hit out at the "radical left lunatics" following Kirk's death.

“We have to be brave in life, in all fairness, we have a life. I probably shouldn’t be out here talking to you in all fairness but we will be brave. And we have a great country. We have radical left lunatics out there and we just have to beat the hell out of them," he said.

Now, Massie has said Trump should take things down a notch.

“I mean, there is a lot of rhetoric. And the president himself engages in it — he called it a ‘hostile act’ to co-sponsor the Epstein resolution,” Massie told The Hill, in reference to his bipartisan bill with the goal of getting files related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks during a news conference with some of the alleged victims of disgraced financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein outside the U.S. Capitol on September 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) have introduced the Epstein List Transparency Act to force the federal government to release all unclassified records from the cases of Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

"I think that’s ridiculous rhetoric.”

“It’s amusing,” he continued. “It doesn’t offend me that he’s over the top with the rhetoric, but some people take it literally, and he should probably tone that down himself.”

Another Republican lawmaker has similarly urged Trump to temper his comments to bring the country together.

“But he’s a populist, and populists dwell on anger,” Representative Don Bacon said to NBC News. “I have to remind people, we had Democrats killed in Minnesota too, right?”

Bacon is referring to Minnesota state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were shot and killed by a gunman in June, who wanted to target other Democratic politicians.

Tensions were high on the House floor when shouting broke out after a moment of silence following Kirk's death, as Massie acknowledged it is an "emotional moment" for those who knew him.

“Well, emotions are raw, because a lot of us knew Charlie Kirk personally and had interacted with him. And so, I give everybody a pass here,” Massie said.

“You know, things when somebody passes — it’s a very emotional moment. And I don’t think you can blame anybody for what they say in the next 24 or 48 hours, but I think it’ll settle down, and hopefully it settles down to a calmer place than it was before,” he added.

Elsewhere, Liberal commentator goes viral for response to Charlie Kirk's death, and People are concerned after comparing Obama and Trump messages on Kirk.

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