FOX News host Greg Gutfeld has lashed out at his co-host Jessica Tarlov during a heated debate about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
The comedian snapped, “Don’t play that bulls**t with me,” as Tarlov argued political violence happens on both the left and right.
Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of shooting and killing Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University[/caption]
The heated debate was sparked by Gutfeld, 61, claiming that violence like Kirk’s killing only comes from left-wing extremists, not right-wing extremists.
It comes after Kirk’s suspected killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was reportedly “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology,” according to Utah Governor Spencer Cox.
The FBI and cops haven’t clearly identified Robinson’s political affiliations or a motive for the assassination at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday.
Speculation over Robinson’s alleged political motivations has led to tense finger-pointing across the political spectrum.
“Why is only this happening on the left and not the right? That’s all we need to know,” Gutfeld, Fox’s in-house comedian, said while speaking on The Five’s opinion panel on Monday night.
Tarlov, 41, then argued that it did happen on the right in June when Minnesota Democrat lawmaker Melissa Hortman was shot and killed with her husband in a political assassination.
Gutfeld fired back that the situation was different because Kirk was a household name, while Hortman wasn’t widely known before her death.
“I never heard of her until after she died,” he said.
“So she doesn’t matter?” Tarlov interrupted, leading Gutfeld to erupt with anger.
Gutfeld blasted back, “Oh, don’t play that bulls**t with me!”
“What I’m saying is there was no demonization amplification about that woman before she died. It was a specific crime against her by somebody that knew her.”
He went on to say that the “both sides” argument for political violence existing on the left and right sides equally doesn’t make sense in this scenario.
“We don’t care about your both sides argument. That s**t is dead,” Gutfeld slammed.
“On your side, your beliefs do not match reality so you’re coming up with these rationalizations like ‘What about this, what about that?’”
Charlie Kirk’s rise to hero of the youth MAGA movement
CHARLIE Kirk transformed conservative youth activism from a marginal movement into a powerful force before his assassination on a college campus at 31.
Kirk was an American conservative political activist, author, and media personality who rose to prominence as the co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).
He launched the organization in 2012 when he was just 18 years old, with the goal of promoting conservative principles to high school and college students and became a significant figure in American politics by building a massive grassroots network, framing himself as a “culture warrior.”
The rise of Turning Point USA
Turning Point USA’s mission was to counter what Kirk and his allies saw as liberal dominance on American college campuses.
It quickly grew to prominence through his use of provocative activism and viral social media campaigns.
They created watchlists of professors pushing leftist propaganda and organized events to debate students on controversial topics.
The strategy helped them gain a significant following and financial backing from wealthy conservative donors.
Kirk’s ability to connect with a new generation of conservatives was one of his most notable impacts.
He cultivated a style of political engagement that was heavily reliant on social media, podcasts, and confrontational public appearances.
His organization’s events, such as the annual Student Action Summit, drew thousands of young attendees and featured prominent conservative speakers, creating a new kind of political ecosystem for young people who felt alienated from traditional conservative groups.
A key ally of Donald Trump
Kirk also became a staunch supporter and ally of President Donald Trump.
He was the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention and served as an aide to Donald Trump Jr. during the presidential campaign.
This relationship solidified his position within the Republican Party’s “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) wing, and his organization became an integral part of Trump’s political apparatus.
Through his popular podcast, “The Charlie Kirk Show,” and his frequent appearances on conservative media, Kirk was a powerful voice in the pro-Trump movement.
He often framed political issues as a “spiritual battle” between good and evil and championed a pugnacious, populist form of conservatism.
His influence was so significant that after Trump’s 2024 victory, Kirk was credited with helping to mobilize younger voters for the campaign.
Influence on culture and social issues
Beyond traditional politics, Kirk’s influence extended deeply into social and cultural issues.
He was a vocal opponent of “woke” ideology, particularly in education and media.
He promoted traditional values, often encouraging young women to prioritize becoming homemakers and mothers over professional careers.
Kirk also openly criticized programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
He was also a major proponent of Christian nationalism, arguing that there is no true separation of church and state in the United States.
The Turning Point Empire
Kirk’s activism led to the expansion of the Turning Point brand into a larger political and media empire.
He launched Turning Point Action, a political advocacy group focused on voter mobilization, and Turning Point Faith, aimed at engaging evangelical Christian communities in conservative politics.
These affiliated organizations allowed him to broaden his reach and influence beyond college campuses, into a more mainstream political force.
He continued, “We are not doing that because we saw it happen. We saw a young, bright man assassinated and we know who did it.”
Graphic footage showed the moment Kirk, 31, was shot by a single bullet in the neck while debating students at the university.
Charlie Kirk speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, moments before he was killed on September 10[/caption]
Tarlov, a Democratic political strategist, clarified that she didn’t intend to minimize Kirk’s killing and that she was “horrified by it.”
She said rather than broadly painting Robinson’s motives, that people should wait until there’s more information from officials.
“Let’s have a conversation? Charlie had a conversation and he got shot,” Gutfeld yelled.
Tarlov then put her head in her hands.
Gutfeld apologized and told her, “This thing is with us for good.”
‘RADICAL LEFT LUNATICS’
Similar to Gutfeld, President Donald Trump cast the blame for Kirk’s death on leftist extremism in an appearance on Fox News on Friday morning.
“We have radical left lunatics out there and we just have to beat the hell out of them,” Trump said on Fox & Friends.
He continued, “The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime.
“The radicals on the left are the problem, and they’re vicious and they’re horrible and they’re politically savvy.”
Robinson remains uncooperative in jail after allegedly shooting Kirk with a single bullet and escaping by jumping off his rooftop sniper’s nest, police said.
He was arrested on Thursday when his dad turned him in after a 33-hour manhunt.
The suspect is set to appear in court for the first time on Tuesday as he’s slapped with felony charges.
Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted of the assassination.
Timeline of Charlie Kirk shooting
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, September 10
Tuesday, September 9
8:29 am MDT – Shooter arrives on the Utah Valley University campus, as seen in surveillance videos.
Wednesday, September 10
11:52 am – The shooter, described as a college-age individual, arrives on campus before maneuvering onto a rooftop.
12:00 pm – Charlie Kirk is scheduled to host a debate in the UVU Fountain Courtyard.
12:10 pm – A shot is fired at Kirk from 200 yards away and hits him in the neck. The event is immediately evacuated and a man is taken into custody.
1:02 pm – President Donald Trump posts a call to pray for Kirk on Truth Social.
1:37 pm – UVU closes campus, cancels classes, and tells students to leave campus immediately.
1:50 pm – Officials confirm Kirk is in critical condition to the Associated Press.
2:40 pm – Trump confirms Kirk has died, hailing him “great, legendary” in a post on Truth Social.
4:21 pm FBI Director Kash Patel shares on X that the ‘subject for the horrific shooting’ is in custody.
4:30 pm – Utah Governor Spencer Cox, speaking at a press conference, brands Kirk’s death a ‘political assassination. Cox adds there is a ‘person of interest’ in custody and a man arrested earlier has been released.
7:59 pm – Patel, the FBI director, confirmed a second subject taken into custody in connection with Kirk’s shooting was released after being interrogated by law enforcement.
Thursday, September 11
7:15 am – Officials hold a press conference where they announce they have “good video” of the suspect and they recovered the “high-action bolt rifle” in the nearby woods.
9:55 am – Visuals of the suspect are released as officials ask for the public’s help in identifying the individual in the photos.
10:44 am – FBI offers a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone involved in Kirk’s assassination.
10:00 pm – Tyler Robinson is arrested on Thursday night in St. George, Utah, after his dad turned him in. He’s booked into the Utah County Jail.
Friday, September 12
6:00 am – Trump announces a suspect was in custody during an appearance on Fox & Friends. “I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him,” the president said.
7:30 am – A press conference is held with FBI and Utah government officials, including Cox and Patel, where the Utah governor confirmed, “We got him.” The suspect is identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson from Utah.
