Episode Summary: The Left’s Dangerous New Obsession: Assassination Culture | Episode 72

Podcast: The Brett Cooper Show
Host: Brett Cooper
Date: October 6, 2025

Overview

In Episode 72, Brett Cooper examines the recent surge in political violence in America, focusing particularly on what she describes as the left’s growing “assassination culture.” Driven by recent high-profile acts of violence and troubling rhetoric from both activists and mainstream Democratic politicians, Brett argues that these trends are no longer isolated or fringe but have become embedded in political discourse and even celebrated within certain progressive circles. The episode centers around the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the ensuing acts of violence, and a viral controversy involving Virginia’s Democratic Attorney General candidate, Jay Jones. Brett makes the case that excusing such extreme rhetoric and violence is endangering not just American politics but the fabric of society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Assassination Culture (00:00–01:19)

• Brett sets the tone with strong condemnation:

  “If we have learned anything in the last three weeks, it is that we have an alarming assassination culture in our society. And yes, sorry, mainstream media, it is coming from one side because part of the country doesn't just hate us and hates our values, but they are actively wishing death upon us.” (00:02, Brett Cooper)

• She asserts this is not a fringe phenomenon but has infected mainstream Democratic politics.

2. The Assassination of Charlie Kirk & His Viral Warning (01:20–02:55)

• Brett revisits Charlie Kirk’s April tweet about “assassination culture” spreading on the left, noting its disturbing prescience:

  “Reading this genuinely gives me chills because Charlie was talking about the thing that would inevitably take his life.” (01:52, Brett Cooper)

• Kirk’s tweet cited statistics on left-leaning attitudes justifying violence against public figures and referenced the celebration surrounding Luigi Mangione, who murdered a healthcare CEO.
• Brett highlights the viral spread of Kirk’s tweet following his assassination and the subsequent violent incidents, painting a picture of escalating leftist violence.

3. Violent Incidents Following Kirk’s Assassination (02:55–06:10)

• A bomb placed under a Fox News van, a bomb threat at RFK Jr.’s home, a shooting at a New Hampshire country club, and multiple attacks against ICE officials—all within ten days after Kirk’s death.
• Brett provides graphic detail and condemnation:

  “The left is being whipped into a violent frenzy. Any setback, whether losing an election or losing a court case justifies a maximally violent response.” (03:35, Brett Cooper)

• Notably, mainstream media allegedly downplays motives and reframes agents’ defensive actions as aggression:

  “If you google this story, it says Border patrol agents shoot armed woman. ... No, they were being ambushed.” (05:14, Brett Cooper)

4. The Role of Mainstream Rhetoric (06:11–08:00)

• Brett links the violence to dehumanizing political language:

  “It is the rhetoric from activists and politicians on the left. It is people saying that we are fascists. It’s people calling us Nazis. It’s saying that we need to be eradicated because of our beliefs.” (06:55)

• She suggests repeated demonization leads to real-world violence, shifting blame from individual actors to a larger cultural problem perpetuated (and excused) by Democratic elites.

5. The Jay Jones Texts Scandal (08:00–15:06)

a) Revelations and Reactions

• Jay Jones, Democratic candidate for Virginia Attorney General, exposed for sending texts wishing death on former Virginia GOP House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his family. The specifics:

  “If those guys die before me, I will go to their funerals to piss on their graves ... Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head.” (09:25, Brett Cooper reading Jay Jones’ texts)

• In a personal call, Jones allegedly expanded his rhetoric, wishing that Gilbert’s wife would watch her children die so that Gilbert would change policy.
• When pressed, Jones doubled down, claiming only personal pain could change people’s policy stances.

b) Brett’s Reaction

• “I actually don’t think that all of us have sent texts wishing death upon people we disagree with. I think that that actually might be something that is unique to you, Jay Jones.” (13:17, Brett Cooper)
• Brett claims this is symptomatic of an elite leftist mindset that devalues the humanity of political opponents and normalizes calls for violence.

c) The Democratic Party Response

• After minimal apology from Jay Jones, Virginia Beach Democrats issued a statement reaffirming their “full support” for Jones and referencing biblical forgiveness.

  “Now you care about God. Now you care about Christ and what the Bible says. Great. Thank you, Democrats.” (14:34, Brett Cooper)

• Brett calls out the hypocrisy and irony in this position, asserting that the Democratic Party has normalized “vile and soulless behavior.”

6. Broader Implications and Blame Shifting (15:06–19:16)

• Brett discusses the larger narrative of blaming Donald Trump for all incidents of political violence.
• She plays a clip of streamer Destiny on Piers Morgan:

  “If you wanted Charlie Kirk to be alive, Donald Trump shouldn't have been president for the second term. Every time he’s in office, this happens.” (17:53, Destiny)

• Brett’s retort:

  “Conservatives are not the ones that are shooting ICE officials. Conservatives are not the ones who are wishing death upon our political opponents. ... That is the left. You cannot blame that on Donald Trump.” (18:18, Brett Cooper)

• She concludes that the left intentionally sows chaos and refuses to “turn the temperature down,” instead making Trump a scapegoat for their own escalation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is the natural outgrowth of left wing protest culture tolerating violence and mayhem for years on end. The cowardice of local prosecutors and school officials have turned the left into a ticking time bomb.” (03:35, Brett Cooper quoting Charlie Kirk)
• “You put yourself in this situation. This is not Trump's fault. Trump cannot be the scapegoat to every single one of your issues. Trump cannot be the scapegoat to every single problem that our society is facing.” (14:10)
• “Guys, this is the vile and soulless behavior that is making up the modern Democratic Party. And at this point, turning a blind eye is unfortunately expected from the party whose voters have cheered and supported such violence...” (15:35)
• “Trump is not responsible for your inability to have civil disagreements, to understand that you live in a country where sometimes people are not gonna agree with every single one of your values and that sometimes a different political party is going to be in power, and you have to learn how to cope with that.” (19:10)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:19: Introduction & framing of “assassination culture”
• 01:20–02:55: Charlie Kirk’s warnings and assassination
• 02:56–06:10: Recent wave of violent incidents post-assassination
• 06:11–08:00: Rhetoric fueling violence, not just fringe actors
• 08:01–15:05: Deep dive into Jay Jones scandal and Democratic response
• 15:06–19:16: National blame game, Destiny’s comments, and Brett’s pushback

Conclusion

Brett Cooper’s episode forcefully argues that America is witnessing a normalization of extreme, even deadly, political rhetoric and action—primarily, she asserts, from the progressive side. By tying together the high-profile assassination of Charlie Kirk, a series of subsequent violent acts, and the exposure of shockingly violent texts from a Democratic politician, Brett paints a picture of a political culture in crisis. She strongly opposes efforts to blame Donald Trump or conservative figures for this violence, arguing instead that personal responsibility and civil discourse are in short supply on the left.

For listeners seeking a focused recap of the Jay Jones controversy and its fallout, begin at approximately [08:00]. For Brett’s breakdown of the blame game and her response to Destiny, skip to [15:06].