Zoom in: The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA co-founder, garnered the most search interest in Axios' analysis of the biggest stories of the year. His murder - which followed a string of political violence both this year and in 2024 - sparked calls for softened political rhetoric for some and prompted finger-pointing from the president and others. It also opened a new chapter - and exposed new fractures - in the MAGA media landscape.
What I think you're seeing the Trump administration potentially moving toward is claiming she was a victim of Jeffrey Epstein, that she was somehow not a sex trafficker herself, but somebody who was caught up in his crime wave.