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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21h

This was literally Stewart Rhodes' main legal defense:

That he thought the President was about to make it legal to go and get the guns so his militia could storm the Capitol and take charge.

Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21h

For context: When a group of protestors stormed the US Capitol on Jan. 6, a crew of Oath Keepers was standing by, waiting for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act so they could go get their stash of weapons, hidden across the Potomac.

This is far from normal.

Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 21h

When can the president invoke the Insurrection Act? What does invoking it allow the military to do? Is it the same as declaring martial law? A Brennan Center explainer has the answers. bit.ly/3GsFBhL

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21h

For context: When a group of protestors stormed the US Capitol on Jan. 6, a crew of Oath Keepers was standing by, waiting for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act so they could go get their stash of weapons, hidden across the Potomac.

This is far from normal.

Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 21h

When can the president invoke the Insurrection Act? What does invoking it allow the military to do? Is it the same as declaring martial law? A Brennan Center explainer has the answers. bit.ly/3GsFBhL

The Insurrection Act Explained

The law, which lets the president deploy the military domestically and use it for civilian law enforcement, is dangerously vague and in urgent need of reform.

www.brennancenter.org

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 5d

As the President meets with the architect of #Project2025, it's worth revisiting my investigation from last year which found several of the plan's authors have a trail of racist and white supremacist activity:

www.usatoday.com/story/news/i...

Project 2025 decried as racist. Some contributors have trail of racist writings, activity

Project 2025, a widely criticized policy document, is a conservative blueprint for a second Trump term.

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 7d

I had a pretty serious surfing accident a few weeks ago.

Had to be stretchered to an ambulance and taken to hospital. I was in hospital for about 3 hours.

I have insurance, so I was covered.

The cost?

Oh. It was $127,497.

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 12d

'm doing a live #AMA on #Reddit on the MensLib subreddit on my work covering the Manosphere and hyper-masculine influencers like Andrew Tate:

www.reddit.com/r/MensLib/co...

From the MensLib community on Reddit: I'm a USA TODAY Correspondent who made a documentary on the "Manosphere." AMA!

Explore this post and more from the MensLib community

www.reddit.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 15d

"Trump cited “a rumor” that no people in Cuba have autism" ...

"There's a rumor - and I don't know if it's so or not - that Cuba, they don't have Tylenol because they don't have the money for Tylenol. And they have virtually no autism. OK?"

www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

Trump expected to announce 'answer' to autism, blame Tylenol: Live updates

Trump is expected to unveil his 'answer' to autism by blaming the use of Tylenol by pregnant women, which the company denies.

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21d

This is a Ta Nehisi-Coates story about Charlie Kirk: www.vanityfair.com/news/story/c...

Charlie Kirk, Redeemed: A Political Class Finds Its Lost Cause

By ignoring the rhetoric and actions of the Turning Point USA founder, pundits and politicians are sanitizing his legacy.

www.vanityfair.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21d

Today:

🍦The New York Times publishes a front-page scoop about overlapping deals involving the Trump family and the national interest

⚖️ President Trump sues the paper and its journalists for $15 billion

Same day

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21d

Are you confused about Discord, the platform the alleged Charlie Kirk assassin communicated on?

Check out our explainer:

www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2...

What is Discord? The messaging platform gains attention after Charlie Kirk shooting.

What to know about Discord, the online messaging platform that has been cited by authorities in the Charlie Kirk shooting investigation.

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21d

I was interviewed live by @tmziive.bsky.social about Discord and the Charlie Kirk suspected shooter.

Nothing like doing an interview from the back of an Uber!

www.tmz.com/categories/t...

TMZ Live

tmz.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 21d

RIP, RR

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Reposted by Will Carless, USA TODAY

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 21d

Breaking News: A judge dismissed two state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, who is accused in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive.

State Terrorism Charges Against Luigi Mangione Are Dismissed

The judge overseeing the case against Mr. Mangione said the evidence underpinning two of the most serious counts, one of which charged him with first-degree murder, was “legally insufficient.”

nyti.ms

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Reposted by Will Carless, USA TODAY

David Enrich @davidenrich.bsky.social · 22d

Trump has filed a $15 billion lawsuit against @nytimes.com and several reporters for articles exposing his finances. The suit is part of the Trump admin's broader and rapidly accelerating assault on press freedoms. www.cnn.com/2025/09/16/m...

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Reposted by Will Carless, USA TODAY

Jeff Tischauser @jtischauser.bsky.social · 22d

Thomas Rousseau, leader of white nationalist Patriot Front, spoke at a vigil for Charlie Kirk in Fort Worth, Texas over the weekend. This is the first time I'm aware of that Rousseau and his loyalists did not attend a rally wearing Patriot Front's trademark uniform. They feel emboldened. 1/3

Leader of Patriot Front Thomas Rousseau talks to a group of MAGA activists at a vigil for Charlie Kirk over the weekend

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 22d

Producer Lamar Salter and I are at Eradicate Hate in Pittsburgh where we are screening episode one of Extremely Normal!

Come and join us if you’re here!

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 23d

Excellent, troubling work from my colleagues on the USA TODAY graphics team here:

“The first six months of 2025 saw an 85.5% increase in terrorist attacks within the United States compared to the same time period last year”

www.usatoday.com/story/graphi...

In wake of Charlie Kirk shooting, see how political violence has increased in past year

Utah governor is calling for calm and reason after Charlie Kirk's death. Will Americans listen?

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 24d

For days, rumors circulated, perpetuated by certain media figures, that the Charlie Kirk assassin was transgender.

He isn't.

It's part of an effort to vilify the trans community, who are *far more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence:

www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

No, there is not an 'epidemic' of shootings by trans people

There's no evidence transgender people commit more violence than others, experts say, despite online claims of an "epidemic" of trans attacks.

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 25d

'm here at #ONA25 in New Orleans, where we will be screening the first episode of Extremely Normal at 2p.m. in Empire B at 2 p.m.

Come and watch with us and join for a Q&A afterwards!

www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

‘It's like dopamine.’ Looking for role models, troubled young men find Andrew Tate.

Influencers in what is known as the “Manosphere” spread fitness and lifestyle advice alongside misogyny and anti-feminist rhetoric.

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 25d

Here's what we know about Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk's murder

www.usatoday.com/story/news/2...

Here's what we know about Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk's murder

Authorities announced they had arrested Tyler Robinson in St. George, Utah, and accused him of the murder of Charlie Kirk.

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 26d

This stuff is really dangerous.

Not only are transgender Americans simply not committing violence at a disproportionate rate, they ARE far more likely to be the victims of violence

Spreading lies and disinformation only increases that risk

www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

No, there is not an 'epidemic' of shootings by trans people

There's no evidence transgender people commit more violence than others, experts say, despite online claims of an "epidemic" of trans attacks.

www.usatoday.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 26d

I’m sure there will be a very thorough investigation into why an ATF agent apparently leaked a document full of falsities to right-wing media personalities claiming the Charlie Kirk shooter had expressed “transgender ideology”

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Reposted by Will Carless, USA TODAY

David Atkins @davidoatkins.bsky.social · 26d

We don't yet have any idea what the ideology of the Kirk shooter was.

But we do know that the Denver school shooter was a far-right white supremacist.

www.denverpost.com/2025/09/11/e...

‘Radicalized’ Evergreen High School shooter appeared to hold antisemitic, violent views in online accounts

Armed with a revolver, the 16-year-old shooter systematically reloaded and fired as he wandered the school, trying to find new targets, police say.

www.denverpost.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 26d

Are you the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk?

Do you know them?

Have an idea who they are?

My DMs are open. Talk to me.

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 26d

As we build up Extremely Normal, please follow me on Instagram for updates from my beat

I'm examining how political extremism, including individuals, movements and ideologies, has become increasingly mainstream

What was extreme is increasingly normal:

www.instagram.com/will_carless...

Instagram

Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.

www.instagram.com

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Will Carless, USA TODAY @willcarless.bsky.social · 26d

Just to offer some context here:

We don't know what the Charlie Kirk shooter's motives were.

He may well have been a radical Leftist.

He may also have been a neo-Nazi accelerationist.

Or a narcissist.

We simply don't know yet.

Maybe we will some day, but we don't now.

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