Nearly a year after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered on a Utah college campus, a viral moment involving left-wing streamer Hasan Piker has reignited debate over political violence in America. In a video from a live tour performance, Piker sang a rendition of the “We Are Charlie Kirk” song while his podcast co-hosts and audience laughed. The Federalist, in a new piece, characterized the mocking as part of what it calls the left’s “assassination prep campaign” — a term used by some right-wing commentators to describe rhetoric that dehumanizes opponents and paves the way for violence.
The outlet contends that the laughter and applause Piker received for the joke sends a dangerous signal to would-be radicals: that violence against conservatives may be met with amusement rather than universal condemnation. “Laughing at Kirk’s murder isn’t just cruel and depraved,” the piece argues. “It reinforces this idea that murdering a conservative is a joke, isn’t that important and then signals to the next radical that their violence will be met with applause and laughter rather than universal condemnation.”
Context: A Year of Unrest and Alleged Left-Wing Violence
The Federalist’s commentary places Piker’s joke within a broader timeline of political violence and tension that followed Kirk’s killing. The piece recalls the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024, which many on the right hoped would serve as a watershed moment for condemning political violence. Instead, the outlet argues, the country has seen a “failure of the right to crack down on the violent moment that produced Kirk’s killer and continues to threaten Americans.”
Days after Kirk’s murder, Trump announced the designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization. But The Federalist, which has previously called for the administration to act with “sufficient and necessary force,” suggests that the designation has not yet translated into effective action against left-wing violence.
Incidents Cited by The Federalist
The article goes on to list several incidents it says illustrate an ongoing pattern of left-wing violence and assassination preparation:
- “No Kings” protests following Kirk’s murder, with some protesters reportedly calling for Trump’s murder and displaying signs advocating violence against ICE agents.
- The December arrest of four far-left extremists allegedly planning New Year’s Eve bombings and an ambush on ICE officers in Los Angeles.
- An incident during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis where a rioter bit off an ICE agent’s finger.
- A May arrest of a rioter accused of kicking and biting ICE officers at a New Jersey immigration holding center, as noted by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
- The arrest of an individual who allegedly threatened to murder an immigration officer and his family.
- The April incident at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, where 31-year-old Cole Allen rushed past a Secret Service checkpoint armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and knives before being subdued.
The Federalist argues that these events stem from years of rhetoric that paints Trump as Hitler, conservatives as fascists, and ICE as the Gestapo — rhetoric that, in the outlet’s view, creates an environment where political violence is seen as justified.
Piker’s Joke and the Culture of Dehumanization
The central point of The Federalist’s piece is that Piker’s mocking of Kirk is not merely offensive but is itself a form of escalation. “When political opponents are dehumanized, their suffering is a ‘joke’ and audiences and the public are gradually conditioned to treat their murders as funny, justified and even deserved,” the article states. It argues that the reaction to Piker’s joke — laughter rather than outrage — demonstrates that the left’s message of dehumanization is still being accepted.
The piece also suggests that the lack of significant consequence for Piker’s act signals to radicals that political violence will be tolerated. “Each failure to crush the organizations and networks behind political violence signals that each escalation will have few repercussions,” it warns.
Criticism and Counterpoints
The Federalist’s framing has drawn sharp criticism from those who argue it conflates offensive humor with actual violence and that it downplays the broader context of right-wing threats. Critics may note that Piker has not been accused of planning or inciting violence, and that his joke, while tasteless to some, is protected speech. Others point out that political violence exists on both sides and that the article selectively lists incidents to make its case.
However, The Federalist insists that the stakes are too high to ignore the pattern it describes. “These incidents are part of a larger problem — left wing violence,” the piece states. “For years the left has said Trump is Hitler, conservatives are fascists, ICE is the Gestapo, and signaled that elections are not enough to stop them. Once people accept those premises, it justifies resistance by any means necessary and up to and including violence, which we have seen.”
Looking Ahead
The piece ends with a call to action, urging the right to take left-wing violence more seriously and to engage in “assassination prep” prevention. It emphasizes that Kirk’s murder, like the Butler assassination attempt, should have been a turning point — but that, without meaningful change, the cycle is likely to continue.
Whether Piker’s joke will have any lasting political impact remains to be seen. But for The Federalist, it is yet another sign that the line between rhetoric and violence has become dangerously thin.
Source: thefederalist.com — https://thefederalist.com/2026/08/26/hasan-pikers-mocking-of-charlie-kirk-is-part-of-the-lefts-assassination-prep-campaign/