Phil Mickelson drew sharp criticism on social media after posting in defense of Charlie Kirk following the podcaster's killing in Utah, a reaction that reopened scrutiny of the golf star's past ties to Saudi-backed LIV Golf and controversial remarks about human-rights abuses.
On X, Mickelson, 55, said Kirk’s death had "brought out some of the best in humanity and it's also exposing some of the worst," and accused some users of showing support for the suspect, whom he described as embraced by "a side of extremism with a moral superiority complex." He said he hoped those people "are held accountable for their disgusting rhetoric" and reposted several examples he said amounted to celebratory or violent commentary.
Mickelson’s posts attracted both support and condemnation. Elon Musk, who owns X, wrote that Kirk's critics "will be held accountable." Some users echoed Mickelson’s concern about social-media posts that appeared to celebrate the death of a father of two. Other commenters accused Mickelson of hypocrisy, pointing to his 2022 defection from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf, the upstart circuit backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Critics noted reports that Mickelson received a nine-figure payout — often reported as roughly $200 million — to join LIV, and recalled his earlier remark that the Saudi backers were "scary mother***ers" in reference to the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, comments Mickelson later said had been taken out of context.
Some users also disputed Mickelson’s focus on rhetoric given ongoing global conflicts and human-rights crises. Others took aim at his defense of Kirk, a conservative commentator who has drawn criticism for past views, including opposition to parts of civil-rights-era legislation and staunch support for gun rights, according to his critics.
The posts came as authorities continued to investigate Kirk’s killing. Charlie Kirk, described by police as a conservative podcaster and commentator, was shot during a speech at Utah Valley University. Police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson after a roughly 33-hour manhunt. A probable cause affidavit alleges Robinson made disturbing comments about Kirk in the days before the shooting and that family members alerted police after hearing him disparage the commentator.
Robinson was charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and obstruction of justice, according to court documents. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said investigators had been told Robinson expressed dislike for Kirk and described him as "full of hate and spreading hate" during a family dinner in the lead-up to the attack. Family members informed law enforcement, and Robinson’s father ultimately turned his son in, officials said.
Mickelson’s social-media intervention is the latest high-profile reaction to a killing that has prompted intense debate online about political rhetoric, responsibility, and the limits of public commentary. His critics argued that the timing and tenor of his posts were jarring given his previous business relationship with Saudi-backed interests and his earlier comments about those backers.
Representatives for Mickelson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Kirk’s death and Robinson’s arrest remain subject to ongoing investigation and pending legal proceedings, and the public debate sparked by the killing continued to unfold on social platforms and in traditional media outlets.