In the wake of rising political tensions in the United States, two recent interviews highlight starkly contrasting perspectives on political violence and its toll on the nation. Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, and Brian Harpole, former head of security for assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk, offer insights that underscore deepening divisions amid events like Kirk’s assassination on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University.
Hunter Biden, a Yale-educated lawyer and businessman, has faced scrutiny over his foreign dealings, including board positions at Ukraine’s Burisma Holdings and ties to Chinese firms, amid allegations of influence peddling. His personal struggles with addiction, detailed in his 2021 memoir, culminated in a 2024 federal gun conviction (later pardoned) and ongoing tax probes. Republicans have long accused him of exploiting family connections, fueling congressional investigations, and a leaked laptop scandal.
In his November 6, 2025, appearance on the “Wide Awake Podcast,” Hunter Biden portrayed political violence as primarily fueled by right-wing extremists, using Kirk’s death to criticize the MAGA movement’s response. He suggested such incidents suspiciously benefit conservatives, exacerbating national polarization by amplifying partisan rhetoric. “I don’t know why Charlie Kirk was shot, but I do know this: It’s only served one group of people, Charlie Kirk’s death — MAGA. They have taken this, they have wrapped themselves in it, they have righteous indignation!” Hunter Biden stated.
Conversely, Brian Harpole, a former Texas police officer with 14 years in law enforcement, founded Integrity Security after retiring in 2008. As Kirk’s security chief, he has endured conspiracy theories post-assassination, including accusations of negligence, cover-ups, or foreign intelligence involvement— all denied amid harassment and emotional strain.
On the November 17, 2025, episode of the “Shawn Ryan Show,” Harpole addressed violence from a non-partisan, human-centered angle, lamenting its erosion of trust and calling for de-escalation through transparency and prayer. He emphasized personal devastation without assigning blame, urging unity to halt the trend that’s fracturing society. Speaking of the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, “I don’t want to know something that feeds a narrative of hate and division,” Harpole said.
These interviews reveal a chasm: Hunter Biden’s accusatory stance risks inflaming divisions, viewing violence as a tool for political gain that deepens America’s ideological rift. Harpole’s plea for resolution, rooted in direct experience, promotes healing and accountability, potentially bridging gaps in a country grappling with misinformation and grief. As midterm elections loom, such voices illustrate how political violence not only claims lives but poisons discourse, demanding bipartisan efforts to restore civility.
Chasm?
Why are you presenting Hunter Biden as some standup person we should listen too?
He’s a crackhead, liar, crook, pedophile who was banging his brothers wife – it’s all on video – to give him any level of credibility is insulting.
Harpole lied on the Shawn Ryan podcast – that’s been documented.
He epically failed in security 101 – as bad as the “secret service” in the Trump assassination attempt.
If there was any justice he would be prosecuted.
To suggest we should just ignore the Harpole blatant lies and incompetence and hold him up as a measure for healing is UNBELIEVABLE.
My feelings exactly DW
Harpole is not Secret Service. He doesn’t have unlimited resources. Shame on you for blaming him. He doesn’t have the resources to sweep every building and rooftop.
Well, I’ll tell you one thing that you can take to the bank…I will NEVER take any kind of advice from any member of the Biden family!!!!!
Amen brother.
Kirk. If a Biden recommended stopping at a stop light you’d ignore him/her? Of course you wouldn’t. Commenters here frequently make the error of exaggeration which tanks the comment’s validity.
We are not talking red light green light we are talking about advice from a drunk, coke headed thief. You can take advice from hunter if you want. Of course that puts your validity in question. Remember the old slogan you ride with them you can hang with them.
To the author: Good article of two people who are totally polarized in all aspects of their lives and beliefs. HB the druggie who is as morally bankrupt as his crime family and the other, Harpole, who has spent his life’s work engaged in protection from criminal enterprises. How one views violence depends on where you sit at the table of life in that particular moment in time, and of course, social issues and the meaning the law for those circumstances.
The president accused a group of Democrats of “seditious behavior, punishable by death.” Our own goddamn president wants to execute members of congress! I’d call that political violence. And some mouth breathing MAGA cultist is going to follow through with the twice impeached 34 count felon and rapist’ s request. All six have already received death threats. MAGA is poison.
Speaking of making the error of exaggeration and tanking validity.
Interesting hunter would deduct that. The Democrats are the most violent of all Americans, I would wager 90% of the crime in America is from Democrat offenders. So how hunter would arrive at how horrible Republicans are escapes me.
For some reason I have a hard time figuring out how Hunter Biden is speaking as if nothing in his past has any impact on his credibility! I’m not saying he’s not entitled to his opinion but would have difficulty believing what he said even if I agreed with him!
Maybe because 50 top security officials deemed his laptop fake Russian disinformation…?
Joe had a lot of government in his control.
I would guess more than any President in history.
Daddy’s pardon alone should be enough reason for him to crawl back under his mattress.
Why is anyone asking Hunter Biden for his opinion on anything?
Hunter is right. Kirks death did help the right but he never mentions it was the left that killed him. The left promotes violence as a political tool. I’ve watched Kirk’s videos and he was great at changing peoples minds. He proved it is easier to lie to people then to convince them they have been lied too. Let me add that this in no way means I think Hunter is worth anything. He is just trying to make money with out working. What happened to his painting? When Kirk and Trump were shot why was there no outcry for more gun control? RIP Charlie Kirk.
Most republicans I know have great gun control.
Remind again why the “views” of a corrupt crack head who can’t hang onto a gun, laptop, or Burisma job should interest anyone?
While on the same podcast when asked about how both sides needed to turn the temperature down with regard to escalating extremism he responded “I’m going to get myself in trouble for saying this. No, we need to turn the temperature up. We need to turn the temperature up, and we need people to see it for what it is. And what I mean by that is this: I do not believe that we are going to get to the bottom until we get to the bottom. And I want to get to the bottom faster rather than through this slow kind of process of just being picked apart — a death by a thousand cuts here,”
Hunter Biden always in a race to the bottom.
I care as much about what this coddled member of the elite that reigns on the other side of our two-tier justice system as I would to hear what a Kardashian would think.
Slow news day?