The past often serves as a poignant reminder of the treasures we've lost, and in this instance, the loss is immeasurable.
However, the recollection could serve as a beneficial lesson.
On March 27, a mere five months and 14 days prior to his tragic assassination, the conservative Christian luminary, Charlie Kirk, shared a snippet of an interview on the social media platform X. The interview featured Elon Musk, the owner of X, explaining why he considered Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona a "traitor."
This interview took place at the onset of President Donald Trump's second term, a time when Musk was still leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and his public feud with Trump was yet to unfold.
During the early days of Trump's second administration, the government adopted a stern stance towards Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy. Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly reprimanded Zelenskyy for his presumptuous attitude towards U.S. aid in Ukraine's conflict with Russia. Despite this, Kelly and other hawkish senators continued to advocate for substantial U.S. aid to Ukraine, leaving Musk incensed.
In the interview clip, Fox News' Bret Baier questioned Musk about his recent labeling of Kelly as a "traitor." Musk responded without hesitation, stating, "Well, I think somebody should care about the interests of the United States above the interests of another country. And if they dont theyre a traitor." This statement was met with widespread approval from Trump's supporters.
Baier, however, reminded Musk of Kelly's decorated military service, his history as an astronaut, and his current position as a U.S. senator. Musk, visibly moved and serious, responded by stating that Kelly's credentials did not justify him prioritizing another country's interests over America's.
When asked about his views on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Musk predicted a "negotiated peace" and expressed empathy for the thousands of people dying daily in the trenches. He criticized those who virtue signal without offering solutions to stop the daily deaths, stating, "I have contempt for such people and I want to make that clear."
According to Western Journal, Musk's comments and Kirk's post gained renewed relevance last week when Kelly, along with five other elected Democrats, urged intelligence professionals and military service members to disobey what they termed "illegal" orders from Trump. This move was seen as an attempt to sow seeds of doubt within the military ranks and undermine the president's legitimacy.
In response to this, Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have taken Kelly's potential sedition seriously. Musk's earlier assessment of Kelly as a traitor seems to have been validated by these recent developments.
Reflecting on Musk's words and Kirk's posts from March can be a somber exercise. While Musk's return to Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement remains a possibility, the MAGA movement will likely need to regain its "America First" orientation before that happens.
The permanent loss of Kirk, however, feels increasingly catastrophic with each passing day. Thankfully, he left behind a wealth of wisdom for us to draw upon.
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