Overview

• On a podcast released Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department would “absolutely target” people using “hate speech” following Charlie Kirk’s killing.
• After criticism from across the political spectrum, Bondi posted Tuesday that she was referring to speech crossing into true threats of violence, citing federal statutes on threatening communications.
• Legal organizations and conservative commentators, including FIRE, Brit Hume, and Erick Erickson, said there is no First Amendment exception for hate speech and faulted Bondi’s framing.
• Bondi also said the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division is reviewing a reported Office Depot incident and suggested businesses could face prosecution for refusing to print Kirk vigil materials, a claim analysts noted lacks a clear legal basis.
• White House allies Stephen Miller and Vice President JD Vance promoted an effort to investigate left‑leaning groups they allege promote violence, and President Trump brushed off concerns, joking that the DOJ might go after critical media.