Podcast Summary:

Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Episode: BREAKING: Teen Pleads Guilty to Murdering Mother and Step-Father For Money To Assassinate President Trump
Date: January 8, 2026
Hosts: Amy Robach & TJ Holmes
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this urgent, emotionally charged episode, Amy Robach and TJ Holmes dive into the shocking story of 18-year-old Nikita Kassip, who pleaded guilty to murdering his mother and stepfather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The murders, committed when Kassip was just 17, were allegedly executed to fund a plot aimed at assassinating former President Donald Trump. The hosts walk listeners through the latest court proceedings, explore disturbing details from the case, and discuss the potential sentencing and broader implications—including the possibility of further federal charges due to the case’s national significance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Crime and Its Unfolding (03:02–08:22)

• Teenager’s Guilty Plea:

  • A teenage boy, Nikita Kassip, stood in court and calmly repeated “Yes, Your Honor” as he admitted to killing both his mother, Tatiana Kassip (35), and his stepfather, Donald Trump Mayor (51).
  • The case took place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Kassip was 17 at the time of the murders.

• Crime Details:

  • Kassip lived with the bodies of his parents for two weeks after the killings.
  • He stole their vehicle and about $14,000 in cash and valuables, taking the family dog with him.
  • Authorities traced him using a traffic stop, eventually apprehending him.

• Chilling Courtroom Exchange:

  • Kassip’s responses in court were strikingly polite and measured, despite admitting to extremely violent acts.
  • The judge methodically asked about each specific act (who he killed, how, intent), to which Kassip answered with unflinching acknowledgment.

  Quote:
  “To hear him say, ‘Yes, your Honor,’ to the question, ‘Did you kill your mother, Tatiana? Did you intend for her to die?’—just, yes, this polite ‘yes, your Honor’ afterwards, it felt so chilling to listen to.”
  —TJ Holmes (07:32)

Motive: From Money to a Presidential Assassination Plot (04:22–06:27)

• International Links and Planned Escape:

  • Investigators found Kassip in online contact with an unknown Russian-speaking individual.
  • He reportedly bought a drone, explosives, and authored a manifesto that outlined his plan to assassinate Trump and overthrow the US government.

• Text Evidence:

  • Federal agents found text exchanges indicating Kassip believed he could go to Ukraine and live “a normal life” even if his crimes became publicly known.

  Quote:
  “He was actually asking this question to this unknown person who speaks Russian. He said, ‘So while in Ukraine, I’ll be able to live a normal life, even if it’s found out I did it?’”
  —TJ Holmes (09:45)

The Legal Turn: Guilty Plea, Dropped Charges, and Sentencing (06:27–10:02, 15:18–18:18)

• Pleas and Charges:

  • Kassip pleaded guilty to two counts of murder. Other charges (theft, improper use of a corpse) were dropped as part of a deal.
  • His demeanor in court was noted as almost oddly respectful and soft-spoken, contrasting the brutality of the crimes.

• Sentencing Parameters:

  • The trial was scheduled for March; sentencing will take place on March 5.
  • Because he was 17 at the time and accepted a plea, sentencing guidelines may be more lenient. He could receive 20 years for each count (potential total: 40 years), making parole in his late 50s plausible.
  • Guilty pleas and youth are often favorable toward a lighter sentence.
  • The need to avoid traumatizing the family through a public trial played a role in the plea negotiation.

  Quotes:
  “Normally he would be constrained by the sentencing guidelines, but now he could possibly consider 20 years. And did I hear it correctly, 20 years on each count, right?...He could still get life. We don’t know. But the judge made a point about talking about that 20 years. He’s so young…”
  —Amy Robach (17:22, 17:57)

  “So he’s got two things working in his favor: his age and the fact that he was compliant. The fact that he agreed to plea and save the district a lot of money.”
  —TJ Holmes (16:08)

Federal Oversight and National Implications (18:52–19:52)

• Potential for Additional Federal Charges:

  • Federal prosecutors may intervene and file further charges if the state sentence is insufficient given the gravity of Kassip’s assassination plot and anti-government motivations.
  • The case has broad national interest because of the intended target and Kassip’s extremist sentiments.

  Quote:
  “The federal government can then step in and charge him...because of the federal or the national implications of him, that plot they uncovered where they say Kassip was plotting, planning to assassinate Donald Trump. So...if we don’t like what this judge sentences him to, we may step in and throw more charges at him.”
  —TJ Holmes (18:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “That was really chilling, wasn’t it?... Even hearing the judge ask this young man...if he had ever been diagnosed with a mental illness, he said, ‘No, you Honor.’ But my God, how could he not, given what he is admitting to have done?”
  —TJ Holmes (03:34)

• “He was almost like… a respectful teenager sitting in there today who’s admitting to the most heinous of things.”
  —Amy Robach (06:27)

• “Yes, Your Honor will never sound the same after hearing him say that response to so many of those incredibly just devastating questions...”
  —TJ Holmes (09:03)

• “The feds say, hey, if we don’t like what this judge sentences him to, we may step in and throw more charges at him. So that’s entirely possible as well.”
  —TJ Holmes (19:52)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:02] — Breaking news introduction & summary of the guilty plea
• [04:22] — Recap of the fatal events, discovery, and disappearance of the suspect
• [05:28] — Discussion of online communication with Russian speaker and the assassination plot details
• [06:27] — Shift to the legal process, charges, and the unnerving courtroom demeanor
• [07:32] — Emotional reaction to the repeated courtroom confessions
• [09:45] — Reading the incriminating text message about plans in Ukraine
• [15:18] — Spotlight on sentencing process, possible outcomes, and the impact of Kassip’s youth
• [18:52] — Federal government’s involvement and the potential for added charges
• [19:52] — Closing reflections and anticipation for the upcoming sentencing

Closing Thoughts

The episode effectively balances reporting the deeply disturbing facts with sensitive commentary on the complexities and emotional weight of the case. It highlights chilling details—the clinical politeness of Kassip’s admissions, the global ambitions of his plot, and the legal dilemmas facing the justice system given his age. Amy and TJ continuously return to the bigger questions: How could such violence come from a seemingly ordinary teenager? What role do family trauma and youth play in sentencing? And, ultimately, will Kassip ever be released, or will the federal government ensure he spends his life behind bars?

Listeners are left with a comprehensive, nuanced view into one of the most bewildering crimes in recent headlines—a case that’s as much about the dark corners of the human mind as it is about legal process and national security.