Jim Antle, the magazine executive editor, brings to life the pages of the Washington Examiner magazine in the show Inside Scoop. Each episode features exclusive insight from the article authors and expert analysis.
This week, Antle gives his thoughts on how in a time of political violence, the mainstream Left turns a blind eye to its radicalized online allies.
“Many critics of the Trump administration fear that in the aftermath of Kirk’s death that they’re going to see a crackdown on mainstream liberal political opinion and established left wing groups,” Antle said. “But the fact is, there is indeed a climate online that is seen among progressives. That was very celebratory about Charlie Kirk’s death and displays a lot of violent rhetoric toward political opponents.”
Antle says while there has definitely been violence on both sides, Democrats have greater ability to reach the types of people who are posting the violent rhetoric on social media.
“Democrats have greater credibility with these people,” Antle said. “They are, in some sense, their people. And unlike Trump, they may be able to persuade them and calm them down. Each side has a role in policing its own ranks and would be most effective in doing so.”
The in-depth report this week takes a deeper look into how Charlie Kirk’s faith fueled a movement. Daniel Ross Goodman writes, “Kirk wasn’t just a conservative agitator. He was a prophet for a generation adrift, a blazing torch reigniting faith in an America that had all but forgotten how to pray.”
Goodman credits much of Kirk’s shift from secular conservative pundit to unapologetically devout Christian with a megaphone to his wife Erika Kirk.
“Their home became a war room of prayer and podcasts, where Bible studies bled into strategy sessions,” Goodman says.
While polls had shown religious youth plummeting nearly 20% from 2007 to 2024, by 2025, Gen-Z church attendance was ticking back up.
Goodman believes Kirk’s hand in this growth is undeniable.
Washington Examiner spoke to young adults who were impacted by Charlie Kirk’s faith while visiting the makeshift memorial outside of the Turning Point USA headquarters in Arizona.
“All the churches in the Valley saw more attendance than ever in a long time,” Paige Lowell of Gilbert, AZ said. “I feel like it’s going to be a worldwide revival in a lot of ways, not just in conservatism, but in Christianity as well.”
“He was a man of faith, and I have so much faith, and so he was just so inspiring,” Nicole Gervais of Tucson, AZ said. “Just being so bold and not being afraid to share the gospel and the love of Jesus with everyone. He wanted to talk to you no matter your opinion. And that’s just so inspiring to me. I’m ready to go out there and do the same thing.”
“He was truly one of the most genuine people and one of the most amazing and spirit led people that I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting,” Erica Rodriguez who traveled from Albuquerque, NM said.
“Charlie was the light,” Gervais said. “He wasn’t afraid to speak out against things he didn’t believe in. And I just wish we could do the same. And I think now we are starting to. So it’s very exciting. God makes beauty from ashes.”
After his death there wasn’t violence. Memorials began popping up all over the country. Hundreds were seen leaving flowers and bible verses at the TPUSA headquarters in Tempe.
His memorial, at State Farm stadium, was closer to a church service. With worship songs sung from 70,000 voices echoing through the stadium, you could feel a powerful shift in the air.
Some even gave their life to Christ right then and there.
If we have learned anything with Kirk’s death, his light didn’t flicker out — it kindled thousands, and perhaps even millions, of others. Charlie Kirk may have made his name as a political activist, but he’ll surely be remembered just as much, if not more so, for his faith.
Next in the show, Antle is joined by contributing writer Mackubin Thomas Owens to discuss his article on President Donald Trump changing the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Trump and Hegseth have justified the name change by arguing the leadership of the armed forces has become preoccupied with nonmilitary priorities. Owens argues the name change is currently cosmetic and is just costing a lot of money to change some signs.
INSIDE SCOOP: UNPOPULARITY PLAGUES DEMS, MEDIA FAILS, CANDIDATE QUALITY
“We really may need to make some serious, substantive changes within the Department of Defense to get us back to the focus on what we should be looking at, what we really want our military to do,” Owens said. “Other things like diversity and climate change and all these sorts of things are less important. We’ve always asked our soldiers to do a lot more than just fight wars… But the fact is that they’ve always known that when push comes to shove, the primary focus is to prepare the forces and then lead the forces in terms of achieving military victory.”
Tune in each week at washingtonexaminer.com and across all our social media platforms to go behind the headlines in the Washington Examiner’s new show, Inside Scoop.