‘No Kings’ Riots & Minnesota Manhunt | 6.16.25

Summary

Morning Wire Episode Summary: “No Kings’ Riots & Minnesota Manhunt | 6.16.25”

Release Date: June 16, 2025

In this episode of Morning Wire, Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley and co-host Georgia Howe delve into the escalating “No Kings” protests sweeping across the United States, a shocking political assassination in Minnesota, and the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran. The hosts provide a comprehensive analysis of these critical events, offering insights and expert commentary to keep listeners informed.

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1. Escalation of “No Kings” Protests Across the Nation

The episode opens with a dramatic portrayal of the nationwide “No Kings” protests, which have rapidly devolved into violent confrontations. These demonstrations, initially framed as expressions of free speech, have increasingly targeted government institutions and specific figures, leading to chaos and unrest.

Key Highlights:

• Portland, Oregon:
  Tim Rice provides a detailed account of the events in Portland, where a “No Kings” protest spiraled out of control. Starting around 1 PM with tens of thousands in attendance, the focus shifted to the ICE facility, resulting in broken glass, forced entries, and the use of rocks and fireworks against federal law enforcement. This violence left several officers injured and led to the arrest of four rioters.
  “The situation in Portland really spun out of control Saturday night... the rioters broke glass and forcibly entered the ICE facility.”
  — Tim Rice [02:38]

• Other Affected Cities:
  Violence wasn’t confined to Portland. Los Angeles emerged as a new epicenter, Salt Lake City experienced a shooting during a protest, Culpepper, Virginia saw a driver accelerate into a crowd with an SUV, and Philadelphia was marked by anti-oligarchy sentiments.
  “We saw yet more violence in Los Angeles... and there was a no Kings protest in Culpepper, Virginia, where police say one person was struck by an SUV...”
  — Tim Rice [03:47]

Expert Insight: Jonathan Schanzer comments on the ineffectiveness of violence in achieving political change, emphasizing its rarity in successful historical movements.
“I have rarely seen in my career... a time where successful change has come as a result of violence.”
— Jonathan Schanzer [03:30]

2. President Trump’s 250th US Army Anniversary Celebration

Contrasting sharply with the chaos of the protests, President Trump hosted a grand celebration for the US Army's 250th anniversary. This patriotic event showcased a display of military might and honor, aimed at unifying Americans amidst the surrounding turmoil.

Event Highlights:

• Patriotic Display:
  The celebration featured a diverse array of military vehicles, including vintage jeeps, tanks, helicopters, and rows of marching troops, symbolizing the enduring strength and legacy of the US Army.
  “It was a huge patriotic display that highlighted the heroism of American troops throughout the decades.”
  — Tim Rice [04:35]

• Trump’s Role:
  President Trump not only presided over the event but also delivered a heartfelt speech, thanking the army and expressing pride in their service. The event coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday, which was subtly highlighted by the protesters as well.
  “The president gave a speech in which he thanked the army and essentially said, you know, it's about time we had a parade like this.”
  — Tim Rice [04:35]

Future Plans: Trump has initiated Task Force 250, an executive order aimed at coordinating a series of patriotic events leading up to the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, 2026.
“A final note, this weekend's celebration of the army is just the first of many patriotic events that Trump called for in an executive order.”
— Tim Rice [05:38]

3. Political Assassination and Manhunt in Minnesota

A deeply disturbing event unfolded in Minnesota with the assassination of prominent state figures, triggering a massive manhunt and igniting fears of politically motivated violence.

Incident Details:

• Assassination:
  State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were critically injured in their home by an assailant dressed as a police officer. The perpetrator used deception to gain entry, leading to the brutal attack on both the Hoffmans and fellow Democratic leader Melissa Hortman and her husband.
  “They found Hortman and her husband dead... impersonating a police officer.”
  — Tricia McLaughlin [07:16]

• Manhunt and Capture:
  The suspect, identified as 57-year-old Vance Bolter, a former private security officer with no prior criminal record, was apprehended 50 miles from the crime scene after an intensive search. Initially evading police by fleeing in a disguised vehicle, Bolter was later captured while hiding in the woods.
  “Authorities quickly identified 57-year old Vance Bolter as the suspect... By 10 PM last night, he was in custody.”
  — Tricia McLaughlin [08:24]

Possible Motives:

• Political Extremism:
  A manifesto and a list of 70 potential targets, including Democrats and abortion providers, suggest a broad and violent political agenda. Contradictory signs of support for the “No Kings” movement and ties to Democratic governors hint at complex ideological motivations.
  “Authorities say a list of 70 potential targets was found in his car... Bolter also had ties to Governor Tim Walz.”
  — Tricia McLaughlin [09:04]

• Recent Political Tensions:
  The assassination occurred shortly after Melissa Hortman supported a Republican budget measure, which cut taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants, provoking significant backlash from Democrats.
  “Just hours after that vote... she was assassinated.”
  — Tricia McLaughlin [09:04]

Broader Context of Political Violence: Tricia McLaughlin highlights a series of recent violent attacks targeting political figures and institutions, underscoring a disturbing trend of political extremism.
“In the last year alone, we've seen Israeli diplomats murdered in Washington... multiple attempts on Donald Trump's life.”
— Tricia McLaughlin [10:28]

4. Intensifying Israel-Iran Conflict and U.S. Involvement

The episode transitions to international affairs, focusing on the escalating military conflict between Israel and Iran. Jonathan Schanzer, a Middle East expert, provides an in-depth analysis from a bomb shelter in Jerusalem.

Current Situation:

• Israeli Strikes:
  Israel has conducted over 700 strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites, military installations, and leadership figures within a short span, aiming to curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
  “I think what we can say with certainty is that the Israelis have carried out... more than 700 different strikes since this thing started.”
  — Jonathan Schanzer [11:26]

• Iranian Counterattacks:
  In response, Iran has launched numerous missile attacks against Israel, creating an ongoing cycle of retaliation and defense.
  “The Israelis have been fending off missile attacks... a direct strike near Haifa.”
  — Jonathan Schanzer [12:00]

U.S. Involvement:

• Military Support:
  The United States is assisting Israel by providing advanced military technology and intelligence sharing, including F-35 jets and high-powered ordnance. Schanzer suggests a coordinated effort, especially following President Trump’s executive orders.
  “Israel is striking Iran right now with a number of American platforms, F35s... intelligence sharing.”
  — Jonathan Schanzer [13:24]

• Potential Escalation:
  There is speculation about the U.S. potentially increasing its military involvement to support Israel further, including the deployment of additional carrier strike groups to impose restraint on Iran's actions.
  “There are actually even a couple of carrier strike groups on their way from the United States...”
  — Jonathan Schanzer [13:24]

Future Implications: Schanzer warns of a possible war of attrition if the current trajectory continues, emphasizing the finite resources of Israel's missile defense against Iran's extensive missile arsenal.
“There's a little bit of cat and mouse here... the Iranians are trying to make the Israelis lose as many of their missile defense interceptors as possible.”
— Jonathan Schanzer [12:30]

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Conclusion

The Morning Wire episode effectively navigates through a tumultuous array of events shaping the national and international landscape. From the surge of violent protests challenging political stability to the grim reality of targeted assassinations and the volatile Israel-Iran conflict, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe provide listeners with a thorough and engaging analysis. Expert insights from figures like Tim Rice and Jonathan Schanzer add depth to the discussions, ensuring that the audience remains well-informed amidst the chaos.

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Notable Quotes:

• “Everyone's running.”
  — Tim Rice [00:22]

• “Up when this becomes antagonistic and violent...”
  — Jonathan Schanzer [03:30]

• “It's about time we had a parade like this.”
  — Tim Rice [04:35]

• “Remember, in the last year alone, we've seen Israeli diplomats murdered in Washington...”
  — Tricia McLaughlin [10:28]

• “Israel is striking Iran right now with a number of American platforms...”
  — Jonathan Schanzer [13:24]

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Stay Informed:
For more in-depth discussions and daily updates on politics, culture, education, and more, subscribe to Morning Wire and wake up with the facts you need to know first.

Transcript

[John Bickley]

Because the army keeps us free. You make us strong. And tonight, you have made all Americans very proud as President Trump presides over the celebration of the US Army's 250th anniversary. No kings. Protests erupt in violence.

[Georgia Howe]

We just heard shots.

[Tim Rice]

Everyone's running.

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Monday, June 16th, and this is Morning Wire.

[Cabot Phillips]

A political assassination triggers a massive manhunt in Minnesota.

[Georgia Howe]

Our state lost a great leader and I lost a dearest of friends.

[John Bickley]

And as Israel and Iran trade blows, President Trump ratchets up the pressure on Tehran.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

The Iranians right now have rejected this, and so we appear to be a standoff at the moment.

[Cabot Phillips]

Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

[Georgia Howe]

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[Cabot Phillips]

Multiple rioters were arrested near Portland's ICE facility over the weekend after police declared Saturday night that a planned protest had devolved into a riot. The chaos in Portland, which left several officers injured, was part of a wave of anti ICE and anti Trump protests across the country that ended in violence. It all came over a weekend in which Trump held a huge celebration for the Army's 250th birthday.

[John Bickley]

Here to discuss is Daily Wire Deputy Managing Editor Tim Rice. Tim so first, let's start with Portland. What exactly happened in Oregon.

[Tim Rice]

Yeah, good morning, John. The situation in Portland really spun out of control Saturday night. The city allowed for one of these no Kings protests, which started around 1pm and included tens of thousands of people. While city officials touted the event as a large scale free speech gathering, eventually the focus of the protest became an ICE facility and things got less about free speech and more about destruction and violence. Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that the rioters broke glass and forcibly entered the ICE facility. During the attack, they threw rocks and launched fireworks and smoke grenades at federal law enforcement. Officials say at least four officers were injured, including a federal official. Four rioters were eventually arrested for what the Portland Police Bureau stressed was, quote, violent activity. And they said in a press conference early Sunday that more may be rounded.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

Up when this becomes antagonistic and violent. I have rarely seen in my career and really throughout our nation's history, a time where successful change has come as a result of violence.

[John Bickley]

Now, Portland was not the only city to see these no Kings protests devolve into violence, correct?

[Tim Rice]

That's right. We saw yet more violence in Los Angeles, which has really become the epicenter of these protests and riots. Things got out of control enough over the weekend that law enforcement had to use tear gas and other crowd control measures to clear out rioters. And then there was Salt Lake City, where a no Kings protest ended up involving a shooting. Police there said Sunday that three people were taken into custody, including the shooting suspect, and that the motive was still being investigated. Then there was a no Kings protest in Culpepper, Virginia, where police say one person was struck by an SUV when a driver accelerated into a crowd of protesters. As the Associated Press highlights, in Philadelphia, protesters waved signs declaring deport the mini Mussolini's and fight the oligarchy.

[John Bickley]

Now these no Kings demonstrations were planned across the country in response to Trump holding that massive celebration of the US Army. How did that event go?

[Tim Rice]

You know, it was a rather remarkable contrast to the protests. The event marked the 250th anniversary of the founding of the army, which came a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed. It also happened to coincide with Trump's 79th birthday, which the protesters, of course, made sure to focus on. But what Americans saw was a huge patriotic display that highlighted the heroism of American troops throughout the decades. The event featured military vehicles from a wide span of eras, including old school jeeps, transports used in Korea and Vietnam, tanks, helicopters, and of course, row after row of marching troops. All the while, Trump stood watching, frequently standing to salute the troops. And of course, the president gave a speech in which he thanked the army and essentially said, you know, it's about time we had a parade like this.

[John Bickley]

As we celebrate tonight, we also think of the hundreds of thousands of army.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

Soldiers who have made the supreme extreme.

[John Bickley]

Sacrifice for our nation and selflessly laid down their lives in every war from.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

The revolution to the war on terror.

[Tim Rice]

A final note, this weekend's celebration of the army is just the first of many patriotic events that Trump called for in an executive order. That order created Task Force 250, which is coordinating a series of celebrations for the year leading up to the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4 next year.

[John Bickley]

All right, so more to come. And likely more protests too, probably. Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Tim Rice]

You bet.

[Georgia Howe]

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[John Bickley]

The nation was rocked Saturday after a prominent Minnesota lawmaker and her spouse were gunned down in a politically motivated assassination.

[Cabot Phillips]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips is here to break it all down. So Cabot, a really shocking crime in Minnesota. What do we know so far?

[Tricia McLaughlin]

Yeah, just a horrifying scene early Saturday morning. Democrat State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette was left in critical condition after being shot inside of their Home police, fearing the crime was politically motivated, then proactively checked the homes of several other lawmakers, including Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the state House. When officers arrived, they found what appeared to be a police SUV with flashing blue lights in the driveway and a man dressed as a cop coming out of the house. That man immediately opened fire on police before ultimately running out the back door. When officers were able to finally search the home, they found Hortman and her husband dead. Chilling footage from a home security system showed a man dressed as an officer approaching the front door wearing a silicone lifelike mask. It was just very scary footage. Police say he used that disguise to convince his victims to open their doors.

[John Bickley]

It was knocking on the door and asking the person to come out. Absolutely impersonating a police officer.

[Tricia McLaughlin]

Now, immediately after those shootings, police issued a shelter in place order for a 3 mile radius surrounding the home. But again, the killer was able to escape the area on foot and make it to another car that he owned.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, what do we know so far about the suspect?

[Tricia McLaughlin]

Well, Authorities quickly identified 57 year old Vance Bolter as the suspect. He's a Minnesotan with no past criminal history. Bolter had worked for a private security service that advertised a fleet of, quote, police type vehicles. He presumably used one of those cars as well as other gear, including a tactical vest during this attack. While Bolter escaped the crime scene, by Sunday afternoon, police had located his second vehicle. It was 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis in rural Sibley county, night. By 10pm last night, he was in custody after being caught hiding out in a patch of woods.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, targeting multiple lawmakers suggests a political motive. Do we know anything else beyond that?

[Tricia McLaughlin]

So police say a manifesto was found in Bolter's car, but they are not releasing it to the public, at least yet. They've simply said they're confident this was a politically motivated attack. Now, some are speculating he was motivated by a hatred of the Democratic Party. To that point, authorities say a list of 70 potential targets was found in his car. It reportedly included a number of prominent Democrats along with abortion providers in the state. And the suspect's roommate told reporters he believed Bolter voted for Donald Trump, but was not aware of his views on state politics. But on the other side, there are plenty of indications that Bolter may have been on the left. First, police recovered a number of signs in his car that said, quote, no kings. Bolter also had ties to Governor Tim Walz, who appointed him to the Governor's Workforce Development board back in 2019. Previous Democratic governor Mark Dayton appointed Bolter to the same position back in 2016 as well. And the timing of this crime may also be a clue. Just days before she was assassinated, Melissa Hortman had been the only Democrat to cross party lines and support a Republican budget measure that would cut off taxpayer funded health care for illegal immigrants in the state. That move drew outrage from Democrats across Minnesota. Here she is just hours after that vote.

[Georgia Howe]

I did what leaders do.

[Tricia McLaughlin]

I stepped up and I got the job done for the people of Minnesota. I think some of them are pretty, pretty angry.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

I think that their job was to.

[Georgia Howe]

Make folks who voted for that bill feel like crap.

[Tricia McLaughlin]

So what appears to be yet another example of political violence. Remember, in the last year alone, we've seen Israeli diplomats murdered in Washington, a health care CEO assassinated, attacks on Tesla dealerships, the firebombing of the governor's mansion, and of course, the multiple attempts on Donald Trump's life.

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, a tragedy and extremely chilling for those other people on the list. Cabot, thanks for reporting.

[Tricia McLaughlin]

Absolutely.

[Cabot Phillips]

Things have changed rapidly since Israel launched its attack on Iran on Thursday, and things will likely keep changing fast.

[John Bickley]

Joining us to discuss how we got here and where things might go is Jonathan Schanzer. He's the executive director of the foundation for Defense of Democracies and a Middle east expert. He also joins us now from a bomb shelter in Jerusalem. Jonathan, thanks so much for joining us.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

My pleasure. Good to be with you.

[John Bickley]

Now, we covered on this show on Friday the many targets that Israel had hit. There had been more strikes since and counter strikes from Iran. So what are the latest developments in the strikes and counter strikes?

[Jonathan Schanzer]

Sure. I mean, I think what we can say with certainty is that the Israelis have carried out, I think, more than 700 different strikes since this thing started. It's not even 72 hours old. You know, again, nuclear sites, military sites, leaders of the regime, and a lot more. There's been a lot of destruction on the Iranian side. On the Israeli side, they have been fending off missile attacks. These missiles have been coming in by the dozen over the last couple of nights. Just a few minutes ago, as I was sitting here in a shelter, there was a direct strike somewhere near the northern town of Haifa. That's the third largest city in Israel. And a fire had broken out last night. There were a couple of direct hits, destroying buildings, destroying a full half of one building or even a half of a city block in one case. I think what we're looking at is a potential war of attrition if things go the way that Iran would like them to go. The regime understands that there's a finite number of missile defense interceptors that the Israelis can use, and they have a lot of ballistic missiles. So there's a little bit of cat and mouse here going on. The Israelis are trying to strike as many of those ballistic missiles as possible on the one hand, and the Iranians are trying to make the Israelis lose as many of their missile defense interceptors as possible. The one kind of wrinkle that I'm watching right now is that the US Is helping to defend the skies over Israel. And it appears that a number of Western countries may also be deploying assets to the region as well. There are actually even a couple of carrier strike groups on their way from the United States maybe to try to impose a little bit of restraint on the part of the Iranian regime.

[John Bickley]

Now, we've had conflicting reports about U.S. involvement in this mission. What do you think is the real story? Has the US Been involved and will we possibly get more involved in the days to come?

[Jonathan Schanzer]

So, okay, I think we need to understand something. First of all, Israel is striking Iran right now with a number of American platforms, F35s, the MK84, 2000 pound bombs that are under the wings of those F35s, and a whole array of other platforms that are US made. Israel is part of the arsenal of democracy, as we call it. It is an American ally and has been for decades now. So no surprise there. I think there's also a high degree of intelligence sharing. We know this because it's been a fact for decades as well. But the fact that the Israelis attacked on day 61 after Donald Trump's 60 day deadline does suggest that there was some degree of coordination here. The big question that I think everyone is asking right now is whether the United States will get involved. Because really if the US Drops one or two massive ordnance penetrators on the Fordo nuclear facility, this is the one that is embedded deep inside a mountain with lots of reinforced concrete, the Israelis will basically be able to say it's game over. Right? And basically they don't have that platform. They don't have a B2 that would be able to fly at the heights that are needed to drop that ordinance. And they don't have the ordinance. So I think they're looking for the US to perhaps step in. I think that one piece of business, everything else, the Israelis seem to be doing just fine with the help of American air defense.

[John Bickley]

Well, in the meantime, Trump continues to push for talks. We'll see if that bears any fruit. Jonathan, thank you so much for joining us. And stay safe anytime.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

My pleasure.

[Cabot Phillips]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you're watching us on YouTube, please like and subscribe. We'll be back later this evening with more news you need to know.

[John Bickley]

This is Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, Watch Parenting, available exclusively on Daily Wire.

[Jonathan Schanzer]

Plus, we're dealing with misbehaviors with our son.

[Tricia McLaughlin]

Our 13 year old throws tantrums. Our son turned to some substance abuse.

[John Bickley]

Go to dailywireplus.

[Tricia McLaughlin]

Com today.