Jill Filipovic

The piece argues that, despite presenting Charlie Kirk as a martyr for free speech after his murder, MAGA figures and conservative allies are targeting people who criticize Kirk or express hostility toward his legacy. It contends that this defense of free expression is selective, extending primarily to conservative speech while tolerating efforts to use state power and public pressure against dissenters. Donald Trump, Ben Shapiro and Josh Hammer are cited as framing Kirk’s death around the values of free speech, citizenship and the First Amendment.

The commentary argues that Trump’s supporters and some foreign leaders have embraced a bizarre paternal and sexualized image of him as an authority figure. It focuses on NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte calling Trump “Daddy,” the White House’s use of Usher’s “Hey Daddy” in a summit video, and Tucker Carlson’s earlier description of Trump as an angry father who would punish the public. The examples are presented as evidence of the Trump movement’s authoritarian and psychologically charged political culture.