An ABC News reporter issued an apology after sparking a wave of backlash for describing text messages from Charlie Kirk’s alleged murderer as “touching.”
Chief national correspondent Matt Gutman made the remarks Tuesday on the air during an ABC special report, calling the conservative activist’s suspected killer’s text messages to his roommate unexpectedly “intimate.”
“The other thing that stood out to me, David, is those text messages... it was very touching in a way that I think many of us didn’t expect,“ Gutman said.
The reporter said the texts created “a very intimate portrait” of Tyler Robinson and his roommate, who prosecutors referred to his romantic partner, “a biological male who was transitioning genders.”
“Calling him ‘my love’ and ‘I want to protect you my love.’ This duality of someone who the attorney said not only jeopardized the life of Charlie Kirk and the crowd... and on the other hand he was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner.”
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot in the neck while speaking to a crowd of college students at the Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
Gutman’s statement drew fire from MAGA fans and other Republicans, many of whom urged the network to fire the journalist.
Conservative podcaster Meghan McCain, who once co-hosted The View on ABC, responded to the clip on X, writing, “Is everyone @ABC out of their minds?!”
Fox News contributor Joe Concha slammed Gutman and called for his dismissal on X. “In a sane world - Matt Gutman would have been fired by now. This is absolutely delusional and nauseating.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also weighed in, writing on X: “Legacy media in all its glory…"
Gutman has since apologized, clarifying on X that he “deeply regrets” his words.
“But let there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family, those who were forced to witness it at UVU, and the millions of people he inspired,” he said.
Gutman is among the growing number of media figures facing intense criticism for how they have worded their statements about Kirk’s assassination. As the controversy surrounding the right-wing influencer’s death grows, workers are proceeding with caution after companies began firing individuals making statements they deemed inappropriate.
MSNBC fired political analyst Matthew Dowd after he said “hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions” in the aftermath of Kirk’s shooting.
“You can’t stop with these awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place,” Dowd said, before he was axed from the company.
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah also said she was fired “without even a conversation” for partially quoting Kirk on social media.
The Daily Beast has reached out to ABC News for comment.
