Psaki: ‘A Lot’ of ‘Problematic’ Rhetoric Comes from ‘One Particular Side’, Trump’s Kirk Statement an ‘Escalation’

On Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s The Briefing, host Jen Psaki wasted no time shifting the narrative following the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. Rather than focusing on the shocking attack against a young conservative leader, Psaki suggested that former President Donald Trump’s remarks in response amounted to an “escalation” and that “there’s a lot of rhetoric that is problematic. A lot of it is coming from one particular side and from one particular building.”

Her comments came during a discussion with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) about Trump’s four-minute video statement. In that video, Trump directly addressed what many conservatives have long warned about: the increasingly toxic and dehumanizing language hurled at those on the right by the progressive left. Trump said, “For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today. And it must stop right now.”

Instead of engaging with the substance of that warning, Psaki chose to paint Trump’s words as dangerous in themselves. She stated, “And, obviously, there’s a lot of rhetoric that is problematic. A lot of it is coming from one particular side and from one particular building. But what can be done, I fear, when this is an escalation, already, in less than 24 hours of this shooting?”

This exchange highlights the double standard that conservatives have become all too familiar with. When left-wing activists or politicians engage in inflammatory attacks against conservatives—branding them as “fascists,” “Nazis,” or even “threats to democracy”—the commentary is often dismissed as part of the normal political conversation. But when conservatives push back, calling out the dangerous consequences of such demonization, it is immediately labeled an “escalation.”

The broader concern here goes beyond Psaki’s remarks. What we’re seeing is a pattern: efforts to suppress or delegitimize conservative voices whenever they challenge the prevailing progressive narrative. Instead of addressing the root issue—the culture of contempt fostered by years of reckless political name-calling from the left—the focus turns to blaming conservatives for daring to point it out.

Charlie Kirk’s murder is not just a personal tragedy; it’s a wake-up call about the environment that has been allowed to fester. When young conservatives are told daily that they are enemies of society, the risks go beyond words. Trump’s point, whether one agrees with his style or not, is rooted in a common-sense warning: toxic rhetoric has consequences, and ignoring that reality won’t make the problem go away.

The attempt to reframe his warning as the real danger reveals just how unwilling some in the media establishment are to grapple with uncomfortable truths. Instead of accountability for the climate of hostility, we see the familiar tactic of deflection—an approach that serves the interests of those in power but leaves the underlying problem unchecked.

In times like this, Americans must remember that free speech, open debate, and the right to push back against false labels are cornerstones of a healthy democracy. To silence those who speak plainly about the costs of political hatred is to give that hatred even more space to grow.