Luigi Mangione’s Lawyers Blast Donald Trump Administration Over Charlie Kirk Comparisons

Luigi Mangione’s attorneys are accusing the Trump administration of jeopardizing his right to a fair trial, blasting officials for making “baseless and prejudicial” comparisons between their client and the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The 26-year-old defendant, who faces federal charges in the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has pleaded not guilty. But his legal team now says inflammatory comments from President Donald Trump and top officials risk poisoning the jury pool and violating a court order, potentially derailing one of the highest-profile death penalty cases in the country.

In a letter filed in federal court, Mangione’s attorneys argued that the administration has unfairly tied him to unrelated acts of political violence in order to shape a public narrative. “The Government has indelibly prejudiced Mr. Mangione by baselessly linking him to unrelated violent events, and left-wing extremist groups, despite there being no connection or affiliation,” the filing reads, per NBC.

The lawyers noted that Kirk’s assassination on September 10 has only fueled rhetoric connecting Mangione to broader extremist activity, despite no evidence linking him to the killing. Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder, was fatally shot while speaking at a Utah college campus, a tragedy that drew immediate political firestorm.

Mangione’s attorneys specifically cited President Trump’s September 18 Fox News interview, where he declared that Mangione “shot someone in the back as clear as you’re looking at me … instantly dead. This is a sickness.” The White House later amplified the clip on its Rapid Response 47 social media account, further spreading the claim to millions of followers.

Other officials also weighed in. DOJ spokesperson Chad Gilmartin reposted the video praising Trump’s remarks. On September 22, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to Mangione as a “left-wing assassin.” A day later, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed Luigi Mangione was part of a network of “so-called anti-fascists … really communist revolutionaries.”

Defense lawyers say such remarks directly violate an April gag order prohibiting public commentary on Mangione’s case.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has already directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, citing the “symbolic” nature of Thompson’s murder. Prosecutors allege Mangione left diary entries suggesting he wanted to kill a health insurance CEO to protest the industry.

But defense attorneys argue the administration’s rhetoric risks turning the proceedings into a political trial rather than a legal one. “The attempts to connect Mr. Mangione with these incidents and paint him as a ‘left-wing’ violent extremist are false, prejudicial, and part of a greater political narrative that has no place in any criminal case, especially one where the death penalty is at stake,” they wrote.

Luigi Mangione, 26, is at the center of a high-profile case stemming from the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. Prosecutors allege Mangione ambushed Thompson in broad daylight, fatally shooting him in the back. Investigators claim diary entries recovered from Mangione’s apartment detail a plan to target a health insurance executive as a form of protest against the industry.

Authorities say the writings expressed frustration over rising healthcare costs and corporate greed, suggesting the attack was meant to send a broader message. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies that the journals represent his state of mind or intent. His defense team insists the case has been politicized, arguing that the government’s portrayal of him as a “left-wing extremist” is designed to sway public opinion rather than focus on the evidence.

If convicted in federal court, Mangione could face the death penalty. This possibility has fueled fierce debate over whether his alleged crime was an act of protest, a personal vendetta, or something more complex.

Luigi Mangione’s legal team recently scored a partial victory when a New York state judge dismissed terrorism charges, ruling the crime did not meet the statutory definition of terrorism. Days later, the defense filed a 114-page motion urging federal prosecutors to drop the indictment altogether and bar the government from seeking the death penalty.

Representatives for the White House and Justice Department have not commented on the filings.