MSNBC has fired political analyst Matthew Dowd after his on-air comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed during a campus event in Utah, triggered swift backlash.
Dowd, a former ABC News contributor and 2022 Democratic candidate for Texas lieutenant governor, was appearing on the network Wednesday during breaking news coverage of the shooting at Utah Valley University when he suggested that Kirk’s rhetoric had helped create an environment of violence.
“You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place,” Dowd said. “That’s the unfortunate environment we’re in.”
Dowd also speculated, without evidence, that a supporter could have accidentally killed Kirk while firing a gun in “celebration.”
“We don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration. We have no idea … we don’t know any of the full details of this,” he told MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi Tur.
The comments drew immediate condemnation online, with critics accusing Dowd of insensitivity and politicising the tragedy. By Wednesday night, Variety reported, MSNBC had cut ties with him.
MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler publicly distanced the network from Dowd’s words.
“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable,” Kutler wrote on X. “We apologise for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”
Dowd later issued his own apology, stressing that he had not intended to blame Kirk for the attack.
“My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk,” Dowd wrote. “I apologise for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind.”
Dowd, a former ABC News contributor and 2022 Democratic candidate for Texas lieutenant governor, was appearing on the network Wednesday during breaking news coverage of the shooting at Utah Valley University when he suggested that Kirk’s rhetoric had helped create an environment of violence.
“You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place,” Dowd said. “That’s the unfortunate environment we’re in.”
🚨 BREAKING: Matthew Dowd has been FIRED from MSNBC after blaming the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Charlie himself, per Variety
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 11, 2025
Good riddance, loser! pic.twitter.com/BbfFxTTzpM
Dowd also speculated, without evidence, that a supporter could have accidentally killed Kirk while firing a gun in “celebration.”
“We don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration. We have no idea … we don’t know any of the full details of this,” he told MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi Tur.
The comments drew immediate condemnation online, with critics accusing Dowd of insensitivity and politicising the tragedy. By Wednesday night, Variety reported, MSNBC had cut ties with him.
MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler publicly distanced the network from Dowd’s words.
“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable,” Kutler wrote on X. “We apologise for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”
Dowd later issued his own apology, stressing that he had not intended to blame Kirk for the attack.
“My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk,” Dowd wrote. “I apologise for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind.”
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