‘I Deeply Regret’: ABC News Reporter Apologizes After Charlie Kirk Comments

ABC News reporter Matthew Gutman apologized on Wednesday after he said the text messages between Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin and his transgender boyfriend were “touching.”

Gutman described on “ABC News Live” how the suspected assassin, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, expressed his love for his boyfriend, Lance Twiggs, and how he wanted to protect him after committing the assassination. After receiving scrutiny for calling the text messages “touching,” Gutman wrote on X that he regrets his words and condemns the murder committed by Robinson.

“Yesterday I tried to underscore the jarring contrast between this cold blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk – a man who dedicated his life to public dialogue – and the personal, disturbing texts read aloud by the Utah County Attorney at the press conference,” Gutman said. “I deeply regret that my words did not make that clear. But let there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family, those who were forced to witness it at UVU, and the millions of people he inspired.” (RELATED: Watch the Daily Caller’s documentary “Groomed”)

2. I deeply regret that my words did not make that clear.

But let there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family, those who were forced to witness it at UVU, and the millions of people he inspired.

— Matt Gutman (@mattgutmanABC) September 17, 2025

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray announced the charges against Robinson and read through the text messages where the alleged assassin confessed to assassinating Kirk in a text message conversation with Twiggs. When Triggs asked why Robinson committed the murder, the alleged assassin responded that he “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred” and that “some hate can’t be negotiated.”

Robinson often referred to Twiggs as “my love” and expressed his intention to protect his boyfriend.

Robinson is charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child, Gray announced on Tuesday. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Many liberals rushed to claim that Robinson is a conservative Republican based on his family background. However, his parents told authorities that their son had subscribed to a left-wing ideology and became “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.” Robinson told his parents that “there is too much evil and [Kirk] spread too much hate” after confessing to the murder.

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