ABC News is under fire after a shocking report appeared to romanticize the man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The segment, which aired during a Special Report, featured ABC correspondent Matt Gutman describing the text messages between accused killer Tyler Robinson and his roommate, a biological male who was reportedly “transitioning” to female, as “very touching.”
🚨 JUST IN: ABC News says the text messages between Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson and his transgender boyfriend are “VERY TOUCHING.” pic.twitter.com/CQ4JsvxQvM
“He called him ‘my love!’ And ‘I want to protect you, my love!’ … He was, you know, speaking so lovingly about…
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 16, 2025
READ: Jimmy Kimmel Pushes False Narrative About Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Killer in Latest Late-Night Tirade
The coverage, aired on ABC’s flagship network, immediately drew criticism online for its tone. Many accused ABC of attempting to humanize and romanticize a murderer while ignoring the brutality of the crime and the ideological targeting of Kirk.
“He called him ‘my love!’ And ‘I want to protect you, my love!’ … He was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner!” Gutman said on-air.
He went on to say the messages were, “very touching, in a way, that I think many of us didn’t expect.”
🚨 JUST IN: ABC News says the text messages between Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson and his transgender boyfriend are “VERY TOUCHING.” pic.twitter.com/CQ4JsvxQvM
“He called him ‘my love!’ And ‘I want to protect you, my love!’ … He was, you know, speaking so lovingly about…
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 16, 2025
These words set off a firestorm. Eric Daugherty of Florida’s Voice asked the question on everyone’s mind: “Why is ABC romanticizing a murderer?!”
The optics for ABC — a network owned by Disney, which has consistently aligned itself with progressive politics — could not be worse. Rather than focusing on the horror of a cold-blooded political assassination, the coverage dwelled on the personal love notes exchanged by Robinson and his partner.
ABC’s Damage Control
After intense backlash, Gutman issued a statement on Instagram attempting to clarify his remarks. He insisted that his intent was to highlight the stark contrast between Kirk’s assassination and the disturbing text messages revealed by prosecutors.
An apology by Matt Gutman of ABC for remarks made about the killer of Charlie Kirk – Instagram: @mattgutmanabc
In his statement, Gutman wrote: “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. 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.”
The apology, however, has done little to quell outrage. To many observers, the fact that Gutman and ABC chose to frame the texts between two biological men as “touching” in the first place is evidence of a deeper problem: a media establishment more concerned with pushing narratives than respecting victims.
The Bigger Picture
The ABC Charlie Kirk controversy is not occurring in a vacuum. The coverage fits a broader pattern where left-leaning media outlets appear to soften or rationalize acts of violence when the victims are conservatives. Critics argue that if the ideological roles were reversed, ABC’s coverage would have taken a drastically different tone.
Charlie Kirk sits in front of a microphone for a YouTube video – YouTube, Charlie Kirk
By portraying the killer’s relationship as romantic rather than focusing on his extremist motives, ABC has raised serious questions about journalistic integrity and bias. The incident has amplified distrust in mainstream media, especially among conservatives who already believe outlets like ABC are unwilling to fairly report when their political allies are the victims of violence.
Conclusion
The fact that ABC even entertained describing Robinson’s texts as “touching” shows how warped the media lens has become. Gutman’s apology may have been swift, but the damage is already done. ABC is now being accused not only of bad judgment but of actively romanticizing a man who brutally assassinated Charlie Kirk, a conservative leader, in cold blood.
Charlie Kirk sits down with California Governor Gavin Newsom – YouTube, Charlie Kirk
For Disney-owned ABC, this is yet another public relations nightmare — one that underscores why trust in corporate media continues to erode.
How do you feel about this Disney ABC Charlie Kirk controversy? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
(((Matt Gutman)))
Ever notice these psychos always sympathise more with the criminals than the victims?
They’ve been that way since BLM, when they threw their support behind Michael Brown instead of the police officer Brown attacked.
Or when they put up a statue of George Floyd, and yet did nothing to acknowledge the death of David Dorn.