Republican Rep. Michael Rulli of Ohio on Monday said Democrats "actually killed Charlie" Kirk, blaming the Democratic Party for the assassination of the conservative activist even as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle urged a reduction in incendiary political rhetoric.
Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent conservative voice, was shot last week while speaking at a college in Utah. Tyler Robinson, 22, is in custody in connection with the killing. The FBI said investigators have linked Robinson’s DNA to evidence in the case and recovered text messages from his phone that include an exchange in which he said he "had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for." Authorities have not released an official motive.
Rulli made the remarks during an appearance on Fox Business, saying Democrats have contributed to a climate that can drive people "to insanity" and calling on liberals to "lower the temperature." "You can’t use this rhetoric about us all day long, where you call us Nazis, you call us monsters," he said. "You tried to kill our president twice. You actually killed Charlie. Enough is enough. Stop the shenanigans and lower this rhetoric to a normal place where we can all exist together."
Other Republican lawmakers and conservative figures offered similar accusations in the aftermath of Kirk’s death. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina said Democrats "own what happened today," and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, after Democratic lawmakers objected to a prayer for Kirk on the House floor, shouted that they "f***ing own this." Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado asked for a prayer for Kirk during that exchange.
The barrage of public blame prompted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to call on lawmakers to stop the "finger-pointing." Lawmakers from both parties had expressed shock and sorrow over Kirk’s death, describing it as a devastating loss. Kirk was a father of two and a well-known figure on the right whose shooting prompted fear, anger and grief on Capitol Hill.
Conservative media figures also weighed in. Daily Wire host Matt Walsh accused liberals of being responsible for Kirk’s killing, and a senior editor at The Federalist wrote that the assassination underlined an irreconcilable divide between political movements. Those comments underscored the broader debate over whether inflammatory political language contributes to violence.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday that agents recovered texts from a phone tied to the suspect that appeared to show premeditation tied to hostility toward Kirk’s politics. Patel did not say the bureau had established an official motive and emphasized that investigators were continuing to collect and analyze evidence.
Local and federal authorities have not publicly released a finalized motive, and investigators have cautioned against drawing conclusions while the probe continues. Officials have said they will provide updates as the investigation develops.
Kirk’s death has intensified longstanding concerns about political violence and extreme rhetoric in the United States. In recent years, lawmakers and law enforcement officials have repeatedly urged public figures to temper their language, warning that vilifying opponents can have real-world consequences. The shooting has renewed those calls and prompted debate about accountability for public discourse.
As investigators continue their work, some lawmakers called for restraint in public statements and for leaders to model less hostile rhetoric. Others maintained that the political climate itself bears responsibility. The case remains under active federal and local investigation, and authorities have not announced any charges beyond the suspect’s detention or released a formal motive for the killing.