Reference News Network, September 23 report - According to Reuters, September 21 report, U.S. President Trump praised conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a "martyr for American freedom" on September 21, and vowed to continue his cause at the memorial service for Kirk, who was shot dead, while again accusing the so-called "radical left" of killing Kirk.

"Violence mainly comes from the left," Trump said without citing any evidence. In his speech, he downplayed political violence from the right and repeatedly showed clear partisan bias, in sharp contrast to the more serious tone of other speakers.

Even before the suspect was detained, Trump had been blaming the left for the shooting. His statements reflected the dual nature of Kirk's memorial: the event had the atmosphere of a religious revival and also mixed characteristics of a "Make America Great Again" rally.

The memorial was organized by Kirk's conservative youth group "American Future," with tens of thousands of mourners in red, white, and blue clothes, symbolizing the American flag, flocking to the State Agricultural Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the memorial.

The stadium, which usually holds 63,000 people, appeared completely full. Many people wore clothing with "Make America Great Again" logos and arrived at the stadium before dawn. They underwent strict security measures such as metal detector checks before entering.

Vice President Vance praised Kirk for mobilizing young voters last year to help Trump win the presidency.

Vance said, "All of us government officials are here, not only because Charlie was a beloved friend, but because we know that without him, we wouldn't be standing here today."

Trump's speech was the most openly divisive statement, where he repeatedly attacked the "radical left" and focused on venting frustration. Although some speakers like White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard touched on politics, most of the speeches were about honoring Kirk rather than blaming others.

Kirk, 31 years old, was killed by a bullet during a campus event in Utah. A 22-year-old student from Utah has been charged with murder. Investigators are still investigating the motive behind the crime, and the conclusion is currently unclear.

Trump's speech on September 21 is unlikely to ease the concerns of critics who worry that Trump is trying to use Kirk's death to intensify attacks on political opponents.

According to AFP, September 22 report, U.S. President Trump met and shook hands with tech mogul Elon Musk during a break at the Charlie Kirk memorial event on September 21, marking their first public interaction after a three-month rift.

On the walkways of the stands at the State Agricultural Stadium, the two had a clearly friendly conversation. They joined tens of thousands of supporters in mourning the conservative opinion leader Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated just days earlier.

The White House official account posted a video clip on the social media platform X showing Trump shaking hands vigorously with Musk.

Musk had generously provided campaign funding for this Republican candidate in the 2024 election, and after Trump won, he was appointed to lead the federal government's large-scale budget cuts.

Their relationship had been very close for several months, but Musk left the government advisory team in late May. The two publicly broke up in early June.

This public falling out not only drew continuous attention from American media, but also caused significant fluctuations in the stock prices of Musk's companies.

Another report from AFP on September 21 stated that American actress Angelina Jolie expressed concern over the threat to free speech in the United States on September 21 at the San Sebastián Film Festival in Spain, saying she no longer recognized her country.

At the time of her remarks, concerns about free speech in the United States were growing. Previously, U.S. President Trump had targeted critical media, and the popular show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" was recently suspended for commenting on the killing of Kirk.

Jolie said, "I think actions that divide or limit individual expression and freedom for any reason, anywhere, by anyone, are extremely dangerous. We are going through a very, very heavy moment together." (Translated by Zhao Ke Xin, Hu Wei)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553158000748265999/

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