OUR PICKSWhat If This Is a Turning Point? | Something Is Very Wrong Online |The ICE Raid at Hyundai Was a Massive Own Goal, and more

What If This Is a Turning Point?  (Elaine Godfrey and Russell Berman, The Atlantic)
Charlie Kirk’s closest allies will help determine whether the next few weeks bring confrontation, de-escalation, or something in between.

Trump Escalates Attacks on Political Opponents After Charlie Kirk’s Killing  (Tyler Pager and Nick Corasaniti, New York Times)
President Trump has promised to bring the killer to justice while using the moment to blame the left —and only the left —more broadly.

Leading Democrats Are Condemning Charlie Kirks Murder  (Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic)
Why is the online right having such a hard time recognizing that?

Extremist Groups Hated Charlie Kirk. They’re Using His Death to Radicalize Others  (David Gilbert, Wired)
The Oath Keepers are apparently restarting, and extremist groups like the Proud Boys are calling for “state violence” in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death.

Right-Wing Activists Are Targeting People for Allegedly Celebrating Charlie Kirk’s Death  (David Gilbert, Wired)
Extremists and an anonymously run website are posting identifying details about people accused of celebrating Charlie Kirk’s murder online. Some of those targeted are now getting death threats.

Something Is Very Wrong Online  (Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic)
The cycle of violence will continue as long as the medium doesn’t change.

The ICE Raid at Hyundai Was a Massive Own Goal (Economist)
Georgia spent years wooing the foreign carmaker.

Trump’s Hyundai Raid Drains U.S. Battery Brains  (Christina Lu,Foreign Policy)
The United States can’t build the powerful technologies on its own.

Pentagon Plan Envisions 1,000 Troops for Louisiana Policing Mission  (Alex Horton and Tara Copp, Washington Post)
Documents reviewed by The Washington Post illustrate the Trump administration’s evolving strategy for sending the military into cities with Democratic majorities.

FBI Director Draws Criticism from the Right Over Handling of Kirk Shooting  (Perry Stein and Jeremy Roebuck, Washington Post)
Right-wing online influencers —some of whom helped propel Kash Patel to the powerful law enforcement position less than a year ago —are now questioning whether he should continue leading the agency.
And within the FBI, multiple people said the Kirk investigation has highlighted Patel’s inexperience and minimal knowledge of how the vast law enforcement bureau operates. Morale is low and he is “crumbling under pressure,” current and former officials said, accusing the leader of being more interested in his image within right-wing circles on social media than with learning the ins and outs of the expansive and powerful agency he leads.
Patel vowed during his Senate confirmation hearing to be a fair leader who would protect the law enforcement bureau’s workforce and make it less political. But since he has been in the job, Patel has pushed out many of the bureau’s most experienced leaders across the country. Many of the top national security officials who would typically help lead a potential domestic terrorism shooting like the Kirk case have been pushed out in recent months, multiple people said.
Earlier this week, three ousted senior FBI leaders sued Patel, portraying Patel as an incompetent leader who indiscriminately fired people because either the White House or online influencers pressured him to.