The Trump administration is aiming to use any levers of power it has to respond to Charlie Kirk’s killing, in part to send a message to political opponents.

ABC taking comedian Jimmy Kimmel off the air for his comments on Kirk this week is just one major highlight of the administration’s enormous pressure on ideological opponents it aims to punish.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department is trying to find a way to bring federal charges against Kirk’s suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, and the White House is weighing a policy response to combat political violence, mulling over routes Trump can take to respond to Kirk’s killing.

An official said the White House is “exploring a wide variety of options to put pen to paper to address left-wing political violence and the network of organizations that fuel and fund it,” adding that specifics continue to be discussed.

Trump is steering the response through his own rhetoric over the last few days, insisting that the “radical left” is responsible. Top officials have made clear they would use Kirk’s death to target left-wing groups, with Vice President Vance at one point suggesting they would be dismantled.

The president suggested on Thursday late-night shows in particular should not be allowed to overwhelmingly be critical of him when asked about Kimmel’s indefinite leave.

“They’re 97 percent against; they give me only bad press….I would think maybe their license should be taken away,” Trump said, adding that the decision would ultimately be left up to Federal Communications Commission (FCC)........

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