History shows words can kill—what began as insults and accusations can end in blood, just as it did for Thomas Becket in 1170.

It’s not just ideas that have consequences. Words have consequences, too. Henry II is said to have made the famous remark above in 1170, which prompted four knights to travel to Canterbury and slay Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Many centuries later, Mark Twain remarked, “The past does not repeat itself, but it rhymes”—a bit of an allegorical mystery, at which Twain was a master. So we look for a pattern.

It is worth examining a plethora of quotes from today’s politicians that echo Henry the Second’s remark, and hardly allegorically. Today, Charlie Kirk is just as dead as Thomas Becket.

• Former White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly said Trump “fits the definition of a ‘fascist,’” citing elements like authoritarianism, ultranationalism, forcible suppression of opposition, etc.
• Kelly said that Trump had “commented more than once … ‘You know, Hitler did some good things, too.’”
• After John Kelly’s comments about Trump’s supposed admiration for Hitler, former Vice President Harris said Trump “is a fascist.”
• Harris also said Trump “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist” and “vowed to be a dictator on day one … [and] wants unchecked power … [and will] use the military as his personal militia.
• Mark Milley (retired general, former chair of the Joint Chiefs), in an October 2024 interview, called Trump “a fascist to the core.”
• Former Vice President Al Gore said there were “important lessons” from similarities between the early rise of Nazi Germany and recent actions of the Trump administration.
• Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) said, “I think all of the evidence out there suggests that we have a president who is a racist, who is a xenophobe, who appeals … trying to appeal to white nationalism.” He also explicitly called Trump a white supremacist.
• Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) declared that President Trump is a white supremacist.
• Beto O’Rourke also called Trump a white supremacist.
• Pete Buttigieg, when asked if he thinks Trump is a white supremacist, responded, “Yes, I do.”
• Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said, “Trump from Day 1 began to wage a very coordinated, thoughtful assault on the rule of law in order to enable the transfer of our government from democracy into some form of quasi-democracy, to put his billionaire friends in charge. I just don’t know that the Democratic Party was ready. I think, even to this day, a lot of folks in the party still think this is politics as normal, still think that we’re really not at risk of losing our democracy, and that we’re going to have an election in 2026.”
• Masha Gessen (The New Yorker contributor) wrote of “Donald Trump’s Fascist Performance,” calling aspects of Trumpism fascist.
• Robert O. Paxton (historian), writing in Newsweek, said, “I’ve hesitated to call Donald Trump a fascist. Until now.”
• David Remnick (The New Yorker editor) has repeatedly described Trump as a threat to democracy and referenced fascist language in his columns and podcasts and has called Trumpism dangerous, using the “f-word” (fascist) in conversation and pieces.
• Rachel Maddow (MSNBC host and commentator) described the contemporary threat presented by Trump in explicitly “fascist” terms in public interviews and appearances (e.g., in remarks on The New Yorker podcast and festival).
• Charles M. Blow (New York Times columnist) wrote, “Trump’s Tweets Prove That He Is a Raging Racist.”
• Stephen Colbert (late-night host of The Late Show) called Trump’s comments on congresswomen of color and other remarks plainly racist, saying, “Racism is your brand.”
• Paul Krugman (New York Times columnist) wrote that Trump’s rhetoric had become a driver of, and an enabler for, violent actors and had “racist” elements.
• Jamelle Bouie (New York Times columnist) has published multiple columns explicitly calling out Trump’s rhetoric and policies as racist or racially motivated.

Within a few minutes at a computer, a competent researcher could easily come up with double the number of examples above. The point—does it need to be explained?—is that the Left, politicians, media, “intellectuals,” and the whole sordid gang have for years been saying the most awful things about Trump and, by extension obviously, his supporters.

“Will no one rid us of this racist, fascist, Nazi pig? And the pigs that support him?”

One of Trump’s leading supporters was Charlie Kirk—and he was practically a fourth son of the president. The lefties asked that question for nine years. How can we be surprised that someone answered their call?

And now Charlie Kirk is as dead as Thomas Becket.

[H/T American Greatness]