On Tuesday, prosecutors charged the man suspected of killing Charlie Kirk with aggravated murder, vowed to seek the death penalty and released a mountain of new evidence against him.

Jack Healy, who has been covering the killing of Mr. Kirk for The New York Times, explains what the police have uncovered about his motives. Kenneth P. Vogel, an investigative reporter, discusses the emerging White House plan to use the federal government to crack down on the left-wing groups that it believes inspire political violence.

Guest:

Jack Healy, a reporter for The New York Times who writes about the changing Western United States and its political divisions.
Kenneth P. Vogel, a reporter based in the Washington bureau of The New York Times who investigates the intersection of money, politics and influence.

Background reading:

The suspect in Mr. Kirk’s killing faces an aggravated murder charge, and the death penalty.
President Trump has invoked Mr. Kirk’s killing in justifying measures to silence his opponents.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Photo: Loren Elliott for The New York Times

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CBS Evening News, 08/22/25