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ABC News correspondent Matt Gutman was criticised for calling Charlie Kirk killer Tyler Robinson’s confessional texts to his roommate “fulsome” and “very touching”.
(L) Tyler Robinson in custody; (R) Lance Tiwggs (Photo AFP, Lance Twiggs TikTok)
A US reporter faced severe backlash from politicians and conservative influencers for his empathetic reaction to texts between Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, and his transgender partner that were revealed on Tuesday.
ABC News correspondent Matt Gutman was blasted for his report from the Kirk assassination press conference, where he described the texts as “intimate”, “fulsome”, and “very touching”, according to The New York Post.
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Utah County officials revealed that Robinson had allegedly texted his roommate the day of the shooting and discussed his rifle, possible motive and other details surrounding the event where Kirk was shot dead during an event. Robinson’s roommate told US cops about a note left by Robinson under the keyboard, which read, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” Police say they found a photo of the note.
Officials described the roommate as “a biological male who was involved in a romantic relationship with Robinson”, although a law enforcement official told NYP that the individual was in the process of transitioning from male to female.
What Did Gutman Say?
Describing the texts just hours after Kirk was shot dead in public on September 10, Gutman said, “But, also, it was very touching in a way that many of us didn’t expect.”
“A very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect’s roommate and the suspect himself, with him repeatedly calling his roommate, who is transitioning, calling him ‘my love.’ And ‘I want to protect you, my love,” he added.
“So, it was this duality of someone who the attorney said not only jeopardised the life of Charlie Kirk and the crowd, but was doing it in front of children, which is one of the aggravating circumstances of this case. And then, on the other hand, he was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner.”
ALSO READ: Charlie Kirk’s Accused Assassin Faces Capital Murder Charge, Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty
In a livestream platform, Gutman apparently doubled down on his comments, calling the confessional texts “fulsome, robust and touching” and claiming that Robinson was trying to protect his partner. “The terminology he used, he was trying to protect him. He kept calling him ‘my love.’ ‘My reason for doing this is to protect you,’ you know, but also asking him to delete the messages and not speak to law enforcement. So, there’s this heartbreaking duality that we’re seeing very tragically playing out.”
The reporter was panned on the internet for his sympathetic tone towards a killer, including politicians. “Legacy media in all its glory,” said Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.
“Wait, what???” Republican Senator Jim Banks said on X. “Is everyone @ABC out of their minds?!” said conservative influencer Meghan McCain
Numerous users on X called for ABC News to fire Gutman over his inappropriate on-air remarks, with several tweets demanding his dismissal gaining thousands of likes. There has been no response from ABC News so far.
What Did Robinson’s Texts Reveal?
As per the texts, Robinson told his roommate, Lance Twiggs, 22, when questioned about the alleged shooting: “I am still ok my love, but am stuck in orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”
“You weren’t the one who did it right????” the roommate said, to which Robinson replied, “I am, I’m sorry.” When asked why he decided to choose such a violent act, Robinson explained, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out. If I am able to grab my rifle unseen, I will have left no evidence. Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on.”
He also revealed that he had been planning the assassination for a week, and asked his roommate to delete the chats. He also promised to turn himself in willingly and advised his roommate not to speak to the media.
Robinson is now facing multiple charges, including aggravated murder, Utah prosecutors announced on Tuesday. In addition to aggravated murder, Robinson faces two counts of obstruction of justice, for hiding the weapon and disposing of clothing, two counts of witness tampering, and one count of committing a violent offence in front of children. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Robinson.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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September 17, 2025, 16:10 IST
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