MSNBC Fires Matthew Dowd After Controversial Charlie Kirk Shooting Remarks
Prominent political analyst Matthew Dowd became the most notable public personality to lose his job
following remarks concerning the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk sustained a gunshot wound at a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10, and succumbed to his injuries at 31 years old after being transported to a local hospital. On September 12, the FBI named Tyler Robinson, 22, as the alleged gunman, shortly after President Donald Trump announced an arrest had been made.
Directly following Kirk’s shooting, Dowd was featured on MSNBC's live broadcast, where anchor Katy Tur questioned him about “the climate conducive to such a shooting.” Dowd attributed Kirk's "promotion of hate speech" as a factor in his analysis of the heightened political discourse preceding Wednesday's violent event.
Dowd sought to retract his comments after facing criticism from numerous leading conservatives, subsequently asserting on X that he "never meant for his remarks to assign blame to Kirk for this horrific assault."
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Despite this, MSNBC terminated Dowd’s contract as a political analyst, as network president Rebecca Kutler labeled his statements “unsuitable, thoughtless, and intolerable.”
Continue reading for additional details regarding Dowd’s past and the debate surrounding his dismissal from MSNBC.
Matthew Dowd: A Profile
Dowd began his political career working for Democratic figures such as Congressman Dick Gephardt and Senator Lloyd Bentsen, before changing his party allegiance to Republican in 1999. He advanced within the GOP, serving as a senior advisor to the Republican National Committee for the 2002 midterm elections and subsequently as the lead strategist for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney’s 2004 presidential bid.
Dowd — who reverted to the Democratic party in 2024 — made a short-lived attempt to run for Lieutenant Governor of Texas in September 2021, but withdrew from the competition in December because of poor initial poll numbers.
Dowd is the author of several books and previously held a position as a political commentator on ABC’s Good Morning America, prior to joining MSNBC as a senior political analyst in 2022.
After consulting for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign in California, he became the subject of dating speculation with Schwarzenegger’s former spouse, Maria Shriver, in 2011. (His prior marriages were to Tammy L. Edgerly and Nikki Dowd.)
Shriver responded to Kirk’s assassination on Instagram on September 10, stating: “This hateful act of violence demands condemnation from all of us, without regard for political affiliation. This is detestable, horrifying violence that impacts everyone.”
Matthew Dowd's Comments on Charlie Kirk’s Passing
Dowd was giving an interview to MSNBC anchor Katy Tur during the network's live coverage of Kirk's shooting when he was questioned regarding the prevailing political atmosphere.
“[Kirk has] emerged as one of the most polarizing, particularly among younger personalities in this sphere, consistently promoting a type of hate speech or rhetoric directed at specific communities,” Dowd replied.
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Dowd contended that “malicious thoughts give rise to malicious words,” which subsequently can “result in malicious deeds.”
“I believe that accurately describes our current environment,” he continued. “One cannot harbor such terrible thoughts and then utter such terrible words without anticipating terrible consequences. That is the regrettable situation we find ourselves in.”
MSNBC’s Reaction to Matthew Dowd’s Remarks
MSNBC promptly moved to disassociate itself from Dowd, removing him from his role as a senior political analyst. On September 10, MSNBC president Kutler released a public apology on behalf of the network.
“We extend our apologies for [Dowd’s] statements, as he has himself,” Kutler stated. “Violence, whether political or in any other form, has no place in America.”
Comcast — the parent company of MSNBC — distributed an internal memo to its staff on Friday, September 12, urging them to maintain a respectful tone when reporting on Kirk’s assassination, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
“The unfortunate passing of Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old father, husband, and champion for open discourse, for whom faith was paramount, serves as a poignant reminder of life's precariousness and the imperative for national cohesion,” the Comcast communication articulated. “We are deeply saddened, as his demise leaves a sorrowing family and a nation contending with discord. Violence or hatred has no role in our community.”
“Such reporting conflicted with the goal of nurturing civil conversation and a readiness to hear diverse perspectives,” the statement further declared. “It is essential that we can express disagreements, even strongly and fervently, yet always with deference. We must improve.”
Matthew Dowd’s Reaction to His Termination
Dowd initially refuted on X any intention of implying Kirk bore some culpability for the shooting incident.
“To be explicit, I absolutely did not mean for my remarks to hold Kirk accountable for this terrible aggression. We should all unite to denounce all forms of violence,” he penned. “We should all unite to condemn violence in any form. My deepest sympathies and prayers go out to Charlie Kirk's family and loved ones. During a previous MSNBC appearance, I was questioned about our current climate. I regret my tone and the language I used.”
Several days after his dismissal, Dowd asserted on his Substack that the “right-wing media collective” had orchestrated his termination from MSNBC.
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“Despite the fact that most within MSNBC understood my statements were being misinterpreted, the context of my timing overlooked (recall I made these comments before Kirk was identified as a victim), and my apology for any misunderstanding, I was let go by day's end,” he highlighted.
The political commentator confessed to "recovering from the shock of recent days," yet expressed eagerness to transcend the controversy.
“While I feel low and somewhat discouraged right now, I retain hope and confidence in the majority of Americans who share my aspirations and desires. We are capable of achieving this,” he concluded.
