ABC News’ Jonathan Karl responded to angry MAGA figures for cherry-picking his remarks on the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
MAGA accounts on Sunday circulated a four-second clip of Karl saying, “The murder of Charlie Kirk was not a political act,” and expressed outrage at his remarks.
“You do not detest the Propaganda Press enough,” wrote Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to President Donald Trump.
“Jon Karl with ABC just said ‘the murder of Charlie Kirk was NOT a political act,” wrote Derrick Evans, a former West Virginia lawmaker and Jan. 6 defendant pardoned by Trump. “I’m tagging both @jonkarl & @ABC so we can all let them know what we think.”
Karl responded with a video of his full remarks and suggested the MAGA-fury clip had been taken out of context.
“Here’s what I actually said,” Karl replied.
During the clip, he said Kirk’s murder “shocked the nation” and was condemned by “sensible and compassionate people” across the political spectrum. He also denounced the “small minority” that had celebrated the killing.
“Celebrating or excusing violence is abhorrent. The murder of Charlie Kirk was not a political act; it was a gruesome crime. His alleged killer now faces the death penalty,” Karl said.
He went on to say his thoughts were with the Kirk family, especially his two young children, and called Kirk an “unwavering advocate for free speech.”
“On a personal note, he was always willing to engage with me and answer my questions,” Karl said. “He welcomed debate with those he disagreed with. He did not try to silence his critics. He listened to them, and tried to change their minds.”
Kirk, who was killed by a single shot to the neck on September 10 during an event at Utah Valley University, was famous for touring college campuses and offering to debate students who disagreed with him.
His death has set off a firestorm of debate about free speech, as the Trump administration has used the killing as an excuse to crack down on dissent.
The suspect in the case, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, had a partner who was transitioning and was angry about Kirk “spreading hate,” according to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who didn’t elaborate.
But so far, investigators have failed to uncover any evidence that Robinson—who grew up shooting guns and came from a conservative family—was a member of any left-wing political groups.
That hasn’t stopped the Trump administration from blaming a collective “them” for Kirk’s death and vowing to “destroy” leftist groups in response.
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