Overview

• Speaking with Caren Miosga, Spahn praised Kirk’s willingness to debate and framed the issue as a defense of open discourse.
• He questioned describing Kirk as extremist, saying the late activist held positions he viewed as very conservative in parts and liberal in others.
• Spahn criticized ZDF correspondent Elmar Theveßen for spreading a false claim about Kirk and said visa decisions rest with the U.S., while opposing punitive moves over the error.
• He cited the NDR decision to remove presenter Julia Ruhs from the show Klar, which Ruhs called cancel culture, as evidence of unhealthy pressures inside media institutions.
• Asked about ABC pausing Jimmy Kimmel’s show after comments on the case, Spahn declined to call it censorship and argued both political camps have adopted deplatforming tactics he considers wrong.