Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) suggested Tuesday that some people “want to cherry-pick which instances of political violence they want to condemn.”
The comments came in the wake of the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week in Utah.
“During moments like this, I believe we have a responsibility to be clear and unequivocal in calling out all forms of political violence, and making clear it is all wrong,” Shapiro said during the 2025 Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh.
“That shouldn’t be hard to do,” the Keystone State governor added. “Unfortunately, some — from the dark corners of the internet all the way to the Oval Office — want to cherry-pick which instances of political violence they want to condemn.”
President Trump and members of his base have recently ramped up attacks on Democrats and the left following Kirk’s assassination, giving fuel to the White House’s work to crack down on left-leaning groups and institutions.
David Frum, a speechwriter during former President George W. Bush’s administration, warned Wednesday that there will be a repression of the Democratic Party.
“We don’t have to speculate about what comes next because President Trump, in his televised speech after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and his aide Stephen Miller have already told us what is coming next,” Frum said on CNN.
“The attack on Democratic Party fundraising is coming next,” he added later. “The suppression of Democratic Party speech is coming next.”
The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.
