The U.S. Is Undoing the Post-9/11 Security Architecture | America Enters a New Age of Political Violence | US Investment in Spyware Is Skyrocketing, and more

Ruth Braunstein, an associate professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University who studies political violence and polarization, said she was concerned that the slaying of someone she described as a “pivotal figure” on the American right could mobilize groups that have been waiting for just such a catalyst.
“The right, she said, “has well-organized and trained groups, including militia organizations, that are basically waiting for a moment to be called into action in defense of what they view as the nation.”
She added, “All it will take is the slightest hint from the political leaders, including the president, but also anyone else, that this is the moment that they’re needed.”

The Tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s Killing  (George Packer, The Atlantic)
His murder is a tragedy for his family and a disaster for the country. In an atmosphere of national paranoia and hatred, each act of political violence makes the next one more likely. Last year, Trump came within a couple of inches of being assassinated. In June, two elected Democrats in Minnesota were shot, one fatally. President Trump has ordered flags across the country to be lowered to half-staff in Kirk’s honor, but he wasn’t a statesman like John F. Kennedy, or a moral leader like Martin Luther King Jr. (whom Kirk called “not a good person”). I won’t pretend that I believe America just lost a great man. In the long history of American political assassinations, Kirk belongs in the company of charismatic provocateurs such as Huey Long and Malcolm X, cut down before their time. Like them, he had a feel for the political pulse of his moment, a demagogic flair, and the courage to take on all comers in argument, which exposed him to the sniper who ended his life.
Words are not violence—violence is violence. After Trump’s brush with death, before anything was known about his would-be assassin, J. D. Vance and others blamed the shooting on the rhetoric of his political opponents. Within hours of Kirk’s killing, with the shooter still at large, Elon Musk posted on X: “The Left is the party of murder.” Stephen Miller’s wife, Katie, wrote: “You called us Hitler. You called us Nazis. You called us Racists. You have blood on your hands.” Some right-wing activists are calling for the Trump administration to crack down on leftist organizations—in other words, to use Kirk’s death as a pretext for political repression, which is just what an authoritarian government would do. No one should feel anything but horror and dread at the murder of Charlie Kirk. And no one should use the killing of a man known for his defense of free speech to muzzle others or themselves from speaking the truth about the perilous state we’re in.

America Enters a New Age of Political Violence  (Naftali Bendavid, Washington Post)
Leaders in both parties react to Charlie Kirk’s slaying with fear and foreboding about the country’s direction.
Matthew Dallek, a political historian at George Washington University, said the country’s political factions increasingly see each other as mortal enemies who threaten the country’s existence, and from there, it is not a big step for mentally unbalanced people to turn to violence. Social media, Dallek added, acts as a sort of accelerant in spreading these toxic ideas.
“We are in the most politically violent moment we’ve been in as a country since the 1960s and the 1970s,” Dallek said. “It does feel like we are in a 1960s-era cycle, and it’s really hard to get out of.”
Dallek noted that after the Oklahoma City bombing, President Bill Clinton traveled to the city and gave what is often regarded as the best speech of his career, urging the country to come together. It is not clear, Dallek suggested, that today’s leaders are willing or able to make a similar unifying gesture.

“War Is Here”: The Far-Right Responds to Charlie Kirk Shooting with Calls for Violence  (David Gilbert, Wired)
Prominent far-right figures and elected officials have called for vengeance following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Man Accused of Printing 236-page Screed on Killing a Federal Judge  (Daniel Wu, Washington Post)
John Phillip Ivers, 72, has a history of making threats against federal officials.

Federal Judge Curbs DHS Force Against Journalists in L.A.  (Scott Nover, Washington Post)
The judge cited an “avalanche of evidence” that ICE and Border Patrol agents violated the rights of reporters covering protests of immigration raids.

US Investment in Spyware Is Skyrocketing  (Vas Panagiotopoulos, Wired)
A new report warns that the number of US investors in powerful commercial spyware rose sharply in 2024 and names new countries linked to the dangerous technology.

When the Vibes Are Off: The Security Risks of AI-Generated Code  (Carolin Kemper, Lawfare)
Vibe coding produces software riddled with insecurities. Will risk management and regulatory compliance, too, fall victim to the vibes?