Morning Brief: Manhunt For Charlie Kirk’s Killer, Backlash To Media Coverage, 9/11 ‘Call To Action’

The manhunt for Charlie Kirk’s assassin continues, as reports indicate the ammunition used was etched with pro-transgender and anti-fascist phrases. The legacy media faces intense backlash for its response to Charlie Kirk’s murder, with some commentators blaming the victim for his own assassination. On the 24th anniversary of 9/11, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth lays out a new, hard-hitting vision for the U.S. Military.

It’s Friday, September 12, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.

Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:

If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:

Manhunt Continues for Charlie Kirk’s Killer

Topline: The nationwide manhunt continues for the assassin who fatally shot Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, as new reports indicate the ammunition used in the attack was etched with pro-transgender and anti-fascist slogans.

Authorities have recovered the high-powered, bolt-action rifle allegedly used in the attack from a wooded area near the Utah Valley University campus. A law enforcement bulletin cited by The Wall Street Journal said the ammunition found with the rifle was etched with a number of pro-transgender and anti-fascist phrases. Kirk was an outspoken critic of transgender ideology and was discussing the topic at the moment he was shot.

The FBI has identified a new person of interest — a slender male in his 20s — and released two images to the public, offering a $100,000 reward for information on his whereabouts. As the killer remains at large, lawmakers across the country have canceled scheduled events over security fears. Later on Thursday, authorities released video showing the suspected assassin flee the scene, jumping off the building where he’s believed to have shot Kirk from with a hunting rifle.

(Photo by FBI Salt Lake City via Getty Images)

President Trump announced that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling him a “giant of his generation.” On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, accompanied the Kirk family as Charlie’s casket was flown back to his home in Phoenix, Arizona, on Air Force 2.

Legacy Media Faces Backlash for Response to Kirk’s Murder

Topline: The legacy media is facing widespread and intense criticism for its coverage of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, with some commentators implying the conservative activist was to blame for his own death.

Immediately after the fatal shooting, MSNBC contributor Matthew Dowd suggested on-air that Kirk’s “hate speech” often leads to “hateful actions,” and even speculated that the shot could have come from “a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration.” Following intense backlash, MSNBC issued an apology and fired Dowd. On CBS, host Nate Burleson suggested the assassination was a moment for the Republican Party to reflect on political violence. The New York Times initially smeared Kirk as a “provocateur” in its report on his assassination.

Critics are pointing to a long pattern of hostile and false coverage of Kirk by legacy media outlets and activist groups. The far-Left Southern Poverty Law Center recently added Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA, to its “Hate Map” alongside KKK chapters. On the floor of the U.S. House, about a dozen Democrats erupted in protest when Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) requested a prayer for Kirk after a moment of silence, with one shouting, “Pass some gun laws!”

Hegseth Issues 9/11 Call to Action for U.S. Military

Topline: On the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered a powerful address laying out the Trump administration’s hard-hitting vision for the U.S. Military.

“War is an enduring aspect of the human condition,” Hegseth said Thursday. “War must not become a mere tool for global social work, eager to risk American blood and treasure for utopian fever dreams. We should hit hard, wreak vengeance, and return home.”

Retired Marine Corps Major Chris Lovell told Morning Wire that the new mission clarity is having a positive effect on the armed forces. “We are in such a good place with the military,” Lovell said, crediting the administration with “getting rid of the DEI distractions, the woke distractions.” He said recruitment is now “fuller than ever” because the mission is clear.

Lovell reflected on the surge of patriotism following the 9/11 attacks, when nearly 200,000 young Americans enlisted. He said the military’s new mission under Trump and Hegseth is inspiring a similar sense of purpose. “We’re going to be lethal,” Lovell said. “We’re going to defend the interests of the United States of America. And we’re going to have leaders that support us and have our backs.”