Trump’s Next Move After Charlie Kirk’s Death: The Authoritarian Playbook Unfolds

Trump is poised to weaponize Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Here’s how his history, psychology, and rhetoric reveal what comes next

Trump’s Next Move After Charlie Kirk’s Death: The Authoritarian Playbook Unfolds

Trump is poised to weaponize Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Here’s how his history, psychology, and rhetoric reveal what comes next

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #537: Thursday, September 11th, 2025.

The Death That Could Change Everything

Why Charlie Kirk’s assassination isn’t just a tragedy…it’s Trump’s next weapon

Charlie Kirk is dead.

That sentence alone should send shivers down the spine of America.

And while most people are still in shock…still mourning…still trying to process the horror…Donald J. Trump is not mourning. He is calculating.

Because if you’ve watched Trump long enough…you know this: he doesn’t see tragedy the way normal people do. He doesn’t pause. He doesn’t grieve. He plots.

Every crisis is a lever. Every death is a headline to be spun. Every tragedy is a stage on which he alone is the star.

The question isn’t if Trump will exploit Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The question is how far he will go.

You Already Know This Pattern…You’ve Seen It Before

From bankruptcies to coups…Trump has always turned disaster into fuel. Here’s why this moment is no different.

I know this sounds dark. Cynical. Maybe even cold.

But let me ask you: when has Trump ever shown genuine compassion that wasn’t wrapped around his own self-interest?

When his businesses collapsed…he called bankruptcies “strategic” and stiffed workers while bragging about beating the system.

When his marriages imploded…he made himself the victim and spun the tabloids into gold-plated publicity.

When January 6th turned violent…he didn’t recoil. He smiled as chaos served his purpose.

You’ve seen this pattern before. I don’t have to sell you on it. You already know it in your gut.

The death of Charlie Kirk…a man Trump often used as a megaphone to reach the younger generation of MAGA…is no different.

Most of America will see a senseless act of violence. Trump will see a gift. A lever. A weapon.

And the faster we recognize that, the better prepared we’ll be for what’s coming next.

How Trump Will Spin Kirk’s Death Into Leverage

How Trump Will Spin Kirk’s Death Into Leverage

So what exactly comes next?

To answer that…we need to step back and look at Trump’s entire life. Not just the presidency. Not just the campaign trail. But his complete pattern of behavior…in business…in personal life…and in politics.

Because Trump is consistent. He’s predictable in his unpredictability. And if you know the pattern…you can almost always see his next move.

Trump’s Life Pattern: Turning Loss Into Leverage

In Business:

Trump lost casinos…failed airlines…tanked properties. Each time…he spun it as brilliance…“I beat the banks, I used the law, I’m smarter than everyone else.”

In Media:

Scandal after scandal should have ended him. Instead, he turned media outrage into oxygen. He fed on negative coverage and rode it to more fame.

In Politics:

Indictments…impeachments…and coups would sink anyone else. For Trump…each became a rallying cry. “They’re not after me, they’re after YOU.”

Charlie Kirk’s assassination is simply the next raw material for Trump’s spin machine.

Four Plays Trump Will Run

Martyrdom.

Kirk will be framed not as a man…but as a martyr. A soldier who “died for the cause.” Trump will use his image at rallies…his name as a chant…his death as a symbol of loyalty unto death.

Authoritarian Justification.

Trump will claim that if Kirk can be killed…any MAGA supporter can be killed. Therefore…extraordinary measures are required. National Guard deployment. Expanded ICE raids. DHS crackdowns. He’ll argue these are “protection.” In reality… they are control.

Fundraising.

No tragedy escapes the money machine. Expect subject lines like: “They killed Charlie because he stood with me. Donate to keep his fight alive.” Trump doesn’t mourn…he monetizes.

Paranoia.

Trump’s narcissism means he’ll see this not as an attack on Kirk…but as an attack on himself by proxy. He will say things like: “They don’t just want to kill me…they’re killing my friends.” This paranoia fuels his most reckless authoritarian promises.

The Three Scenarios: Trump’s Diverging Paths

Now, let’s break down the three possible paths Trump could take from here.

Scenario 1: The Savvy Operator

Trump knows when to play “presidential” if it serves him. In this restrained mode…he’ll offer condolences…talk about “unity,” and appear measured.

But behind the curtain, he’ll weaponize the death quietly:

• Fundraising blasts blaming the left.

• Soft pushes for surveillance powers.

• Framing Democrats as complicit in “political violence.”

This is Trump playing long-ball. Smiling in public while sharpening the knife in private.

Scenario 2: The Strongman

This is the Trump we know best…escalating and daring anyone to stop him.

Here…Kirk becomes a full-blown martyr. Trump directly blames Democrats and media. He declares America under attack from “the radical left.”

Policy demands roll out fast:

• National Guard in cities.

• ICE raids “for security.”

• Expanded DHS surveillance.

This is Trump’s authoritarian pivot…and Kirk’s blood becomes the ink on his contract.

Scenario 3: The Self-Sabotager

Trump also has a history of overreach. When paranoid…he lashes out wildly.

In this mode, he’ll rant: “Democrats want to kill us all.” He’ll accuse the FBI of plotting. He’ll hint at martial law.

The problem? Overreach sparks backlash. Governors resist. Congress balks. Even MAGA allies whisper that he’s unstable.

But don’t underestimate this path. Chaos…even self-inflicted…has always fertilized Trump’s power.

Historical Precedent: How Strongmen Exploit Martyrdom

From Hitler’s Reichstag Fire to Putin’s bombings, martyrdom moments are the dictator’s favorite script.

Trump isn’t the first to weaponize a death. History is littered with authoritarian leaders who seized tragedy as justification for power grabs.

Hitler and the Reichstag Fire (1933):

A single act of arson was spun into proof of a communist conspiracy. It justified suspending civil liberties and paved the way for dictatorship.

Putin and the Moscow Apartment Bombings (1999):

Deadly explosions were blamed on Chechen terrorists. Putin used it to justify war… and consolidate his power.

Erdogan and the Failed Coup (2016):

Erdogan framed the coup attempt as existential. He purged thousands of judges… teachers…and soldiers…consolidating his rule.

Trump…studying these moves consciously or not…will follow the same script: find a body…declare an enemy…demand extraordinary powers.

Charlie Kirk just became that body.

The Psychology Behind the Pivot

Narcissism…paranoia…projection…the inner drivers that will decide his next move.

To really see what’s coming, you have to understand Trump’s psychology:

Narcissism:

Every event is about him. Kirk’s death won’t be framed as “Charlie was killed.” It will be “Charlie was killed because of me.”

Projection:

Trump accuses others of what he’s guilty of. If he hints Democrats want civil war…it’s because he’s preparing to escalate rhetoric toward one.

Paranoia:

Trump believes he’s constantly under attack. Kirk’s death will reinforce his bunker mentality.

Transactionalism:

Every tragedy is transactional. Kirk’s death is currency for power…money…and loyalty.

This isn’t analysis for the sake of psychology. It’s the blueprint for his next moves.

Early Warning Signs: Which Scenario He Chooses

What to watch in the next 48 hours: the tone…the surrogates…and the words that give him away.

Here’s how we’ll know which Trump is emerging:

Scenario 1 (Savvy Operator):

He uses polished surrogates (Lara Trump, Kayleigh McEnany) and speaks vaguely of “unity” while fundraising quietly.

Scenario 2 (Strongman):

He calls Kirk a “martyr,” directly blames Democrats…and demands Guard/ICE deployment. Surrogates like Stephen Miller and Bannon push “this is war.”

Scenario 3 (Self-Sabotager):

He rants…blames Democrats by name…hints at martial law. MTG…Kari Lake…and Roger Stone amplify wild conspiracies.

You’ll know within 48 hours which path he’s testing.

Democratic Response: What Must Be Done

If Democrats Don’t Seize the Narrative…Trump Will.

This is where things get dangerous. Democrats often default to caution…to measured tones. But measured tones don’t beat authoritarian fire.

• If Trump goes Scenario 1, Democrats must call out the double game: “He talks unity while quietly weaponizing tragedy.”

• If Trump goes Scenario 2, they must immediately frame it as the authoritarian power grab it is: “This is Trump’s Reichstag Fire.”

• If Trump goes Scenario 3, they must hammer his instability: “He is spiraling into paranoia and endangering America.”

The worst thing Democrats can do is treat Kirk’s death as just tragedy. It is tragedy… but in Trump’s hands…it’s also strategy.

What You Can Do Now…Before the Playbook Hardens

Three moves every citizen must make if we’re going to keep tragedy from becoming tyranny

So what do you do with this?

First…you don’t look away. Trump wins when people tune out. When fatigue beats vigilance.

Second…you share this analysis. The more Americans see the playbook…the harder it is for Trump to run it.

Third…you pressure leaders. Demand that Democrats…journalists…and civic voices frame this correctly in real time. Don’t let “unity” talk cover for authoritarian grabs.

This Is Bigger Than Trump…It’s About Breaking the Pattern

Kirk’s death is the crack in the wall. Trump is driving his bulldozer. The question is whether we stop him in time.

Here’s the hard truth: we’re not just fighting Trump. We’re fighting Trump’s patterns. And his patterns are stronger than any one man’s charisma.

But patterns can be broken.

And you…yes, you…are part of breaking them. By staying awake. By staying loud. By refusing to let tragedy be spun into tyranny.

Charlie Kirk’s death is a crack in America’s wall. Trump is already driving his bulldozer toward it.

The question is: will we brace for impact…or will we stop this before the wall comes down?

Closing Thoughts

Charlie Kirk’s death will be remembered in two ways.

Either as the moment America sleepwalked into letting Trump seize another ounce of authoritarian power…or as the moment ordinary citizens looked up…recognized the playbook…and refused to be played.

History has shown us this much: strongmen don’t stop themselves. They stop only when people who see through the lie raise their voices…raise hell…and refuse to let the bulldozer roll unchecked.

So let this be your line in the sand. Don’t just read this and nod along. Share it. Speak it. Pressure the people in power who still care about this country to treat this tragedy not just as grief, but as the opening move in Trump’s next grab for control.

If you want to know what your role in saving democracy looks like? It looks like refusing to be silent right now.

Yes, mourn this loss; the loss of life…the loss of a father…the loss of innocence for young people who might have been watching this…or seen the graphic video of the moment of impact.

But…do not be blind to how it will be used. Trump has never wasted a crisis…not once in his entire life. And he won’t start now.

If you want this tragedy to mean something more than pain…let it become the moment you decided to refuse his manipulation.

That’s how I’m choosing to honor Charlie Kirk’s three-year-old daughter and one-year-old son. I didn’t agree with their father. In fact…I opposed much of what he stood for. But as a father of three myself…it isn’t lost on me that those children are now without theirs. And that sickens me.

The prevailing mood I see from many Democrats online…and I felt it the moment I condemned Kirk’s assassination right after it happened…is indifference, or even, “F*ck Charlie Kirk.”

With my background…my education…and my years of experience…I get it. I understand why that’s the knee-jerk reaction.

But I also know this:

Indulging that impulse in this moment is dangerous. It feeds the very narrative Trump is itching to weaponize.

And worse…it erodes the moral high ground we claim to be fighting for…the right to live free…in a nation where human rights are honored for every single person. That is the larger goal. That is the battle. And we can’t afford to lose sight of it now.

We will defend democracy…the very thing Trump has been trashing with vengeance.

I’ll be back soon. Don’t falter. The real test isn’t how intelligently we move forward when the stress is mid-level intensity.

The real test…is what we do…and how intelligently we think and behave…when the shit just hit the fan…and we have some on our clothing.

By your side,

-Jack