Vice President Discusses Left-Wing Violence Network
Vice President J.D. Vance spoke with Salem Radio Network host Scott Jennings on Tuesday, revealing that the Trump administration is examining a broader network of organizations believed to be involved in supporting left-wing violence.
On September 17, President Donald Trump labeled Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. This declaration came about a week after the tragic assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University. Vance shared with Jennings that the administration’s focus isn’t solely on those throwing bricks at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or attacking conservatives.
“Scott is not the only one engaging in violence. Consider all those throwing bricks at ICE agents or targeting conservative commentators. There’s a whole network behind that,” Vance explained to Jennings. “Who brought the bricks? Who funded this? What networks are supporting and fueling this violence? How do individuals get radicalized without the extreme rhetoric often found among some on the far left?”
Vance further elaborated, recounting how, after Charlie was shot, there were individuals celebrating and suggesting he got what he deserved. “All of them are part of the network of left-wing violence. It’s not just the one who pulled the trigger; it’s everyone enabling that radicalization process,” he noted.
During the ongoing 2024 presidential campaign, Trump has faced two attacks: one during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and another while golfing in Florida. A man named Ryan Wesley Routh, charged with an assassination attempt on September 15, explicitly stated his intention to kill Trump in a letter, according to law enforcement.
“We currently have an aggressive task force working to uncover this left-wing political violence, determining who’s funding these activities, and figuring out who’s purchasing the bricks thrown at ICE agents. I believe this effort will yield results,” Vance stated. “Of course, it will take time, but the American public should expect their government to tackle this issue seriously.”
Resistance to ICE’s operations aimed at illegal immigrants intensified during Trump’s second term, marked by riots at various ICE facilities in Chicago and Portland, Oregon. During an operation in Chicago, authorities faced assaults from multiple attackers using their vehicles to ram into ICE agents’ vehicles.
Prior to these incidents, the Department of Homeland Security released a document on September 26 detailing several violent attacks at an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois. In Portland, left-wing rioters targeted a conservative journalist covering the protests and were reportedly attempting to aim lasers at federal law enforcement aircraft.
On September 24, a shooting at an ICE office in Dallas resulted in two fatalities, with the shooter subsequently taking his own life. In Texas, there have been at least two shootings involving ICE or border guard personnel, with ten individuals charged in relation to an incident in Alvarado. Additionally, ICE officers have faced gunfire during enforcement actions in Illinois and California.
