Overview

• On ABC’s This Week, Jonathan Karl said, “The murder of Charlie Kirk was not a political act,” during his opening monologue.
• MAGA-aligned figures including Sebastian Gorka, Joe Concha, Sean Spicer, and Derrick Evans shared an edited excerpt and attacked Karl’s phrasing on social media.
• Karl responded on X by posting the full segment, emphasizing that celebrating violence is abhorrent and describing the killing as a gruesome crime whose accused shooter now faces the death penalty.
• In the full remarks, Karl noted a Glendale, Arizona memorial for the 31-year-old activist and reflected on Kirk’s willingness to engage in debate.
• Right-leaning outlets such as Newsbusters and the Washington Examiner argued the killing was political, citing contested details like alleged casing inscriptions and messages, underscoring a broader fight over how to frame the motive.