Watching Donald Trump Jr. sit down with Megyn Kelly to set the record straight about Charlie Kirk’s views on Israel was a reminder that the left’s media machine will twist any nuance into a smear if it suits their narrative. Trump Jr. forcefully argued that Kirk was being mischaracterized by critics who equate skepticism with betrayal, and the interview made plain that Charlie’s record on Israel was far more supportive and complex than headlines suggested.

Make no mistake: Charlie Kirk spent years defending Israel and evangelizing support for our ally, even as he occasionally asked uncomfortable questions about policy decisions and transparency. That combination of staunch support and independent-minded scrutiny is exactly what so many conservatives admire, not a flip to some anti-Israel position the media would love to pin on him.

What enrages patriots is how quickly opponents weaponize a single question into a smear campaign, then use that smear to justify censoring dissenting voices. The same outlets that cheered Charlie on when he rallied young conservatives suddenly pivoted to painting any critique of Israeli policy as heresy — a double standard so transparent it should shame them.

Trump Jr. and Megyn Kelly didn’t flinch from calling out that hypocrisy, and they exposed how dangerous it is when skepticism is recast as disloyalty. Rather than label every challenge to the status quo as betrayal, conservatives should defend free speech and robust debate while remaining unapologetically pro-American and pro-Israel.

We should also be furious that political violence has become a currency on the left, with too many on the other side quick to gloat or shrug when conservative figures are harmed. That kind of moral rot demands condemnation from every corner of the country, and it demands real consequences for those who incite or celebrate violence.

Charlie Kirk built a movement by telling uncomfortable truths and standing up for conservative principles; honoring that legacy means refusing to let the smear merchants rewrite reality. Conservatives must rally around free speech, protect our allies, and call out media malpractice whenever it tries to silence patriotic dissent — because America’s future depends on courage, not cowardice.