MAGA, Trump World honor Kirk

Plus: Autism announcement set for today from Trump administration

MORNING REPORT  MORNING REPORT Monday, September 22 | By Jared Gans View Online  |  Sign up Listen and Subscribe: In today's issue: ▪ Kirk allies tout 'revival' ▪ Shutdown odds rise ▪ AOC eyes higher office ▪ Major UN meeting ahead © The Associated Press | John Locher MAGA, Trump World honor Kirk President Trump and all the big names in MAGA joined together Sunday to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed earlier this month while speaking on a college campus in Utah. Trump, Vice President Vance and Kirk's widow Erika Kirk all pointed to a "revival" among conservatives in the wake of the Turning Points USA founder's assassination while addressing tens of thousands of people packed inside the Arizona Cardinals' stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Erika Kirk, who has taken over leadership of her late husband's organization, vowed to take Turning Point to the next level in the coming years. In an emotional speech, she also publicly forgave her husband's accused killer, Tyler Robinson. "That man. That young man. I forgive him," she said, her voice softening. Kirk said in her eulogy she found comfort in prayer in the days since her husband's death. "Over these past 11 days, through all the pain, never before have I found as much comfort as I now do in the words of our Lord's prayer: Thy will be done," she said. Erika Kirk told The New York Times she wants Robinson's punishment to be determined by the legal system. Trump, who spoke immediately after her on Sunday, suggested the alleged shooter get the death penalty. "God willing, [Robinson] will receive the full and ultimate punishment for his horrific crime," Trump said. "It's a terrible thing. Because you can't let that happen. You can't let that happen. Can't let it happen to a country." ▪ Wall Street Journal: Erika Kirk takes center stage. ▪ Fox News: Turning Point insider says Erika Kirk is 'absolute force' ready to grow the group 10 times larger. Turning Point told NewsNation that 90,000 people in total attended the event Sunday, including 70,000 in State Farm Stadium, 10,000 in a separate overflow building and 10,000 in the surrounding area. The event had Super Bowl-level security. Even with Secret Service and other security on hand, the speakers addressed the crowd behind bulletproof glass. It comes as officials have expressed additional fears about their own safety following Charlie Kirk's killing. An armed man claiming to be a member of law enforcement was arrested at the Arizona stadium a day before the memorial. The man was charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer and carrying a weapon into a prohibited place. CHARLIE KIRK'S LEGACY: Multiple Cabinet officials, GOP figures and conservative media personalities on Sunday vowed to continue Kirk's legacy of promoting free speech and open debate in the country, with Trump calling Kirk a "martyr" for freedom and a "giant of his generation." "He was assassinated because he lived bravely, he lived boldly and he argued brilliantly without apology," the president said. Kirk became known for traveling to college campuses throughout the country to speak directly with students about his conservative views and his support for Trump, who credited him with boosting the youth vote in his favor in the 2024 election. Numerous videos of Kirk facing off with left-leaning students on campuses have received renewed attention since his death, and supporters said his reach would continue to be felt for years across politics and culture. Kirk's Christian faith was heavily emphasized by speakers Sunday. Tucker Carlson said Kirk was defined by his belief in Jesus, referring to him as a "Christian evangelist." He said Kirk was trying to bring the "gospel" to the country, with the memorial serving as a reminder that "any attempt to extinguish the light causes it to burn brighter." Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet called Kirk a "prophet." "Not the fortune-telling kind that could predict the future, but the biblical kind. He confronted evil and proclaimed the truth and called us to repent and be saved," Kolvet said. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller vowed that Kirk would be "immortalized," with his legacy carried on by his millions of followers. "They cannot imagine what they have awakened," Miller said. "They cannot conceive of the army that they have arisen in all of us." TRUMP, MUSK REUNITE: Trump was seen at one point speaking with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who joined his box overlooking the event. The pair shook hands, with the president gently tapping his former adviser's knee. The moment was quickly noticed by attendees and touted by GOP lawmakers, prompting an "amen" from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). The White House posted a picture of Trump and Musk on social media platform X, writing, "For Charlie." Kirk had months earlier said he hoped the pair would reconcile. As Musk's time as a special government employee leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) came to an end earlier this year, the billionaire tech leader and GOP donor began to speak out against Trump's "big beautiful bill" and turn against Trump more generally. Musk denounced the legislation for increasing the deficit. He and Trump then engaged in a bitter back-and-forth in which Musk vowed to start his own third party and accused Trump of being named in the files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump threatened to have the administration look into Musk's government contracts. KIRK'S LAST WORDS TO TRUMP: Trump said Kirk's last words to him were to "save Chicago" as the president has suggested he may send National Guard troops into the city to address crime.  Trump said he responded that he would do so. He later said he was "proud" of the efforts in Washington, D.C., and would get Memphis "straightened out" but would then turn to other cities like Chicago. "We're going to have Charlie very much in mind when we go into Chicago," the president said. Trump has sent mixed signals on expanding the federal presence in the Windy City, where local leaders have fiercely opposed such a move. His eulogy Sunday often leaned into politics and some divisions that have been exacerbated since Kirk's death, The Hill's Brett Samuels reported. Trump used his speech to criticize his political opponents, saying he differed from Kirk in how he views them. "He did not hate his opponents, he wanted the best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponents, and I don't want the best for them. I'm sorry," Trump said. PROSECUTOR PUSHED OUT: Amid reports of the Trump administration targeting left-leaning groups, particularly in the aftermath of Kirk's death, the U.S. attorney overseeing investigations into two Trump critics has exited following pressure from the president. Erik Siebert, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, turned in his resignation on Friday after Trump expressed frustration about the status of investigations into New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and former FBI Director James Comey. Siebert had been leading investigations into allegations of James committing mortgage fraud and that Comey lied under oath. But reports indicated that Siebert had insufficient evidence to charge either person, and Trump told reporters earlier on Friday "I want him out." Trump announced Saturday that he would pick a top aide, Lindsey Halligan, to take over for Siebert. On Saturday, Trump also drew pushback from Democrats after publicly urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to take legal action against James, Comey and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), saying "nothing is being done" and calling them "all guilty as hell."  Democrats were quick to raise alarms about Trump's post, arguing it is an abuse of power. "Imagine if Richard Nixon had just tweeted out the Watergate scandal rather than putting it on secret tapes," Hillary Clinton posted on X. "That's what this is." Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said on ABC's "This Week" that the current moment is "one of the most dangerous" that the country has ever faced. ▪ The Hill: Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) calls Trump's post to Bondi "real threat to democracy." ▪ Axios: "'Path to a dictatorship': Democrats flame Trump's public pressure on Bondi." Smart Take  with Blake Burman Trump has said in the past he believes immigration was the top reason he was reelected. We've seen the actions the president has taken at the southern border and immigration raids around the country. However, the president just ushered in a brand-new part of his immigrational policy, announcing two new initiatives in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon. He's now adding a $100,000 fee for companies looking to use the H-1B visa process. "We need workers, we need great workers, and this pretty much ensure that that's going to happen," Trump said in the Oval Office. That's not all. The president also announced the "Gold Card," which will allow individuals to pay $1 million and companies to pay $2 million for expedited entry into the United States. These could be revenue raisers, and that fits into a pattern. It comes as Trump is also making the argument that his tariff policy is a worthy revenue stream. However, like tariffs, these new announcements could face their own sets of legal challenges. Burman hosts "The Hill" weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. 3 Things to Know Today Trump seemed to break with the Pentagon after the Defense Department rolled out new restrictions on what reporters can cover, asking them to promise not to publish information officials haven't authorized for release. The president, responding to a question from The Hill, said he doesn't think the Pentagon should be in charge of deciding what reporters can cover, adding "Nothing stops reporters." The Taliban has rejected Trump's push to regain control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, four years after the base was lost as the militant group retook control of the central Asian country following the chaotic U.S. exit from the country. Backlash from some notable figures to former Vice President Kamala Harris's pending book, set to be released Tuesday, continued over the weekend, as Stephen A. Smith questioned how much the public is interested and progressive strategist Faiz Shakir doubted whether Harris will have a future for her political career. LEADING THE DAY © The Associated Press | Susan Walsh SHUTDOWN ON HORIZON: A government shutdown seems increasingly likely with both the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) and the Democratic alternative blocked in the Senate on Friday. The Hill's Mike Lillis reports that members of both parties and both chambers are engaged in a game of chicken to see if one side blinks first ahead of a pending shutdown set to occur at the end of Sept. 30. The Senate quickly blocked the two possibilities proposed to the body on Friday. One GOP-crafted bill from the House would keep government funding at its current level through Nov. 21, while the other Democratic proposal would fund the government for a month but also extend health care premium subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. Democrats have zeroed in on the lack of health care subsidies as a key issue in opposing the "clean" CR that the GOP is calling for. But neither measure came close to reaching the 60-vote threshold required to overcome a filibuster in the Senate. And with both chambers not conducting business this week because of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, not much time will remain to sort this out before the deadline next week. Both sides have been quick to blame the other if a shutdown comes. "If there's a shutdown, it's because Democrats wanted to shut it down," said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee. "We've heard all year how Republicans have a mandate, how Republicans have the presidency, how Republicans control the House, how Republicans control the Senate. Well, if that, in fact, is the case — as is the moment, temporarily — Republicans will own a government shutdown. Period. Full stop," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said. With Congress at an impasse, eyes are turning to Trump as the only way to avoid a shutdown. The Hill's Alex Bolton reports that members of both parties said Trump making a deal with Democrats is the only path forward to keep the government funded into October. Republican sources familiar with the situation tell Bolton that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) isn't willing to negotiate with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) until he knows what Trump would accept, and Trump has so far taken a back seat. Schumer and Jeffries sent Trump a letter on Saturday asking him to meet and negotiate. Trump told reporters that he will meet with Democrats but doesn't expect it will end the stalemate. "They want all this stuff. They don't change. They haven't learned from the biggest meeting they've ever taken. … I'd love to meet with them, but I don't think it's going to have an impact," Trump said. ▪ The Hill: Five things to watch as a shutdown looms. ▪ Boston Globe: Why ObamaCare is a factor in the possible shutdown. ▪ Bloomberg: "Democrats embrace the Ted Cruz strategy they once loathed." AUTISM REPORT: The Trump administration is reportedly set to tie acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, to autism following Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to find the cause of the condition. "We're going to have an announcement on autism on Monday," Trump said over the weekend. "I think it's gonna be a very important announcement. I think its gonna be one of the most important things that we will do." The Washington Post reported on Sunday that health officials will raise concerns about pregnant women using the pain reliever and urge them against using it early in pregnancy unless they have a fever. They also plan to promote a relatively little-known drug called leucovorin as a possible autism treatment. Leucovorin is generally used to address other medications' side effects and for vitamin B9 deficiencies, the outlet noted. Autism has generally been seen as a genetic condition that doesn't have a cure or treatment. Kennedy has pointed to the significant increase in diagnoses of autism as a motivation to find a cause and treatment. Scientists have generally attributed the increase in reported cases to better screening practices, more awareness of the condition and a wider set of diagnosis criteria for the autism spectrum rather than an actual increase in the prevalence of the condition. The announcement Monday will likely renew scrutiny on Kennedy and health agencies under the Trump administration, particularly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory panel changed its recommendations on certain vaccines last week. The committee voted on Friday to recommend that people speak with a clinician before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine but stopped short of requiring a prescription to do so. On Thursday, the panel voted to push back the administration of the vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (or chickenpox) until children are at least 4 years old. TIKTOK DEAL: Details are slowly trickling out about an apparent deal for TikTok to shift ownership and remain available in the United States. Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to a deal allowing the platform to remain operational, but he hasn't released details of the deal. He said the call was "productive" and covered a few topics and that they will be speaking by phone again. The fate of TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has been in limbo for months after legislation that former President Biden signed went into effect right before Trump took office, forcing ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the U.S. Trump has repeatedly issued executive orders to delay enforcement of the ban, most recently issuing one on Tuesday to delay it until Dec. 16. He made saving TikTok a key part of his 2024 presidential campaign after previously railing against it for years for its ties to China. Those in favor of the law that Biden signed, from both sides of the aisle, have expressed concerns that the Chinese government could access U.S. data because of the country's state-run economy. Reporting has signaled the deal would spin TikTok off into a separate U.S. entity, mostly owned by a group of American investors. The Wall Street Journal reported that several U.S.-based investors in ByteDance would also be part of the group, and the company's Chinese investors would own the rest. Trump told Fox News on Sunday that the group of potential buyers likely includes Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, Oracle executive Larry Ellison and Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell. But the Chinese government was more cautious about the status of a potential deal, saying Trump agreed to efforts to reach a "proper deal on TikTok." The Hill's Julia Shapero has three big questions remaining about the potential TikTok deal. ▪ CNN: "Xi hints TikTok deal has his blessing — if Trump makes concessions elsewhere." HOMAN DENIAL: Trump border czar Tom Homan is denying reports that he accepted a bribe of $50,000 in cash last year in exchange for awarding government contracts. Homan called the allegations "bulls---" in response to a question about it from NewsNation's Libby Dean. MSNBC reported based on internal documents and multiple people involved in the investigation that Homan was recorded accepting the money last September from FBI agents posing as businesspeople. The outlet reported that Homan did so after indicating that he could help them with obtaining contracts in a second Trump administration. The FBI and Justice Department reportedly planned to wait and see if Homan followed through on getting the individuals contracts, but the probe stalled after Trump took office and it was later closed. "This matter originated under the previous administration and was subjected to a full review by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors. They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing," FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told The Hill in a statement. The White House brushed off the probe as "politically motivated" and asserted that Homan hasn't been involved in any government contract decisions. "He is a career law enforcement officer and lifelong public servant who is doing a phenomenal job on behalf of President Trump and the country," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. WHEN & WHERE The president will make an announcement on "Significant Medical and Scientific Findings for America's Children" at 4 p.m. and then travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly meeting. The House will not convene on Monday. It will return for a pro forma session on Tuesday at 9 a.m. Business will resume next week. The Senate will meet at 8:30 a.m. for a pro forma session. Business will resume next week. ZOOM IN © The Associated Press | Jacquelyn Martin AOC EYES HIGHER OFFICE: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a rising star within the Democratic Party, is eyeing either a White House bid or a run for Senate in 2028 as she considers the next steps in her career, allies tell The Hill's Amie Parnes. "Why wouldn't she be considering this?" one source who has spoken to the congresswoman about her options told Parnes. "She's one of the biggest voices in the Democratic Party, she fundraises like no one else, and she's authentic and true to herself. Can't say that about a lot of other people in the party." Parnes's reporting confirms a Friday report from Axios that Ocasio-Cortez is thinking about higher office as she has become a leader in the party, particularly for those hoping for a generational change from the party's current leaders. Multiple early polls of the potential 2028 Democratic field have shown Ocasio-Cortez among the upper tier of potential candidates. If she were to decide against a presidential run, taking a shot at Schumer's seat in the deep-blue state may be an appealing alternative for the Squad member. The Senate Democratic leader has faced criticism over his leadership of the party throughout the second Trump term, and at 74 years old, he represents an old guard of Democrats that some in the party want to leave behind. While Schumer would certainly be formidable in a primary, Parnes notes reasons that progressives feel Ocasio-Cortez could be viable against him. She has consistently been a strong fundraiser based on small-dollar checks and has particularly energized young voters whom she can speak directly and effectively to on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The grassroots energy is what powered her to an upset primary victory in 2018 against then-Rep. Joe Crowley (N.Y.), who was one of the top House Democrats at the time. And a candidate who energizes young voters could be what Democrats need given the improvements that Republicans made with them in the last election. Exit polls particularly showed a shift among Generation Z men toward the GOP. ▪ Fox News: Kirk credited with helping Trump with young voters. A report from Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) released last week indicated Gen Z voters appear to "be charting a different political course" than millennials and Republicans are making "substantial" gains. The report found Democratic registration among young white men has fallen from its historical norm of 49 percent to 29 percent. Drops in voter registration were also observed among young nonwhite women and young nonwhite men. DDHQ chief elections analyst Geoffrey Skelley told The Hill that the gender gap seen in the report isn't a new phenomenon, but it's larger than in past generations. The report emphasizes the volatility of U.S. politics and that political coalitions historically have been "remarkably fluid." But Democrats expressed some concerns about what the trends indicate. "If you have someone like that who's always going there and making the case, and we don't have an alternative to kind of uplift, it's very difficult for us to compete in the ground game," said Sunjay Muralitharan, the national president of College Democrats of America, about Democrats not having their own equivalent of Charlie Kirk. And Democrats will have their work cut out for them in the upcoming 2026 midterms. Although history suggests next year should be a strong year for Democrats, the race for control of the House seems to be a toss-up. Scott Tranter, DDHQ's director of data science, said the House battle seems to be more competitive than originally anticipated, attributing it to the redistricting efforts that various states are taking. Republicans seem to have more opportunities to gain seats through the mid-decade redistricting that's happening in Texas and Missouri and may occur in other states like Florida. Democrats are eyeing seats in California and possibly a few others, but they don't have as many options. ▪ The Hill: "Democrats face dwindling options to counter GOP on redistricting." ▪ CNN: How the GOP House majority could survive 2026. CANDIDATES DEBATE: Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Republican Jack Ciattarelli engaged in the first debate of the New Jersey governor's race on Sunday as mail-in ballots have started to go out to voters. The effects of the Trump administration and the high cost of living in the Garden State took center stage with Sherrill and Ciattarelli arguing why they would be the right candidate to lower costs. Polls have mostly shown Sherrill leading by varying margins, but Ciattarelli is hoping to pull off an upset in the race. He nearly did so four years ago, only losing by about 3 points to Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who is now term limited. ELSEWHERE © The Associated Press | Jennifer Peltz KEY UN MEETING: What's expected to be an eventful meeting of the United Nations General Assembly kicks off in New York City this week with both national and international implications. A major international development already took place before the meeting when the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Portugal formally recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday. The countries had previously signaled they planned to take such a move in time for the U.N. meeting. They are expected to be joined this week by a few other countries, including France, Malta and Luxembourg. The decisions are mostly symbolic as they will not immediately change the Israeli-Palestinian conflict nor the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. But the decisions are still notable as they increase the number of countries recognizing a Palestinian state to more than 150. And the recognition from the U.K. and France are particularly notable as two of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. Russia and China already recognized a Palestinian state years ago, so the U.S. will become the only remaining permanent member of the council that hasn't done so. "Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clearly as prime minister of this great country that the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a video message. The recognitions come as Israel has increasingly faced criticism over its conduct in the war in Gaza, with much of the area destroyed and many Palestinians reported starving or dead. That will likely be a key topic of the General Assembly meeting this week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the countries' decisions as giving a "prize" to Hamas. He vowed that a Palestinian state will not be created. He is set to give a speech before the assembly on Friday and then visit Trump at the White House. ▪ Associated Press: UN to let Palestinian leader address assembly by video after US denies visa. ▪ Reuters: Who will speak at the UN General Assembly? WALTZ INTO PLACE: The meeting will also be notable for the U.S. as Mike Waltz takes over as ambassador to the U.N. this week. The former congressman, who briefly served as White House national security adviser, was confirmed by the Senate on Friday in a 47-43 vote mostly along party lines. Waltz left his White House role to become Trump's nominee for ambassador in the aftermath of the Signal scandal, in which he accidentally added a journalist to a group chat with members of Trump's national security team as they were discussing strikes on Yemen. Democrats lambasted him previously for his role in the incident, but as The Hill's Laura Kelly reports, they acknowledged that he was qualified to become U.N. ambassador given his past as an Army colonel, Green Beret and congressman. At the same time, observers will be watching Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he meets on the sidelines with Trump. The two leaders are expected to discuss possible security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump will address the assembly on Tuesday, followed by Zelensky on Wednesday. ▪ The Hill: Estonia says Security Council to meet after Russian jets enter airspace. OPINION The Jewish high holidays teach this lost democratic virtue, Yeshiva University assistant constitutional law professor Zalmon Rothschild writes in The Washington Post The one place where China's popularity is sky high, writes Bloomberg opinion columnist Karishma Vaswani THE CLOSER © The Associated Press | Candice Ward WNBA star A'ja Wilson has made history again as the first player in the league to win the Most Valuable Player award four times. The Las Vegas center was the overwhelming choice for MVP again this year after becoming the first player to win the award unanimously last year. She previously won it in 2020 and 2022. Wilson has helped lead her team to the semifinals this year as the Aces try to win their third title. The Aces also finished the regular season this year on a 16-game winning streak. Wilson's historic success comes as the WNBA has received increasing attention in recent years with other top players like Caitlin Clark, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. 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