Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) drew sharp criticism Friday after laughing and dismissing tributes to Charlie Kirk in an interview conducted a day after the conservative commentator and activist was fatally shot outside Utah Valley University.
In a conversation with the online outlet Zeteo, Omar rejected suggestions that Kirk had been a proponent of civil political discourse and accused him of spending "a decade" spreading inflammatory views. "There are a lot of people who are talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate," she said, adding, "These people are full of s*** and it's important for us to call them out while we feel anger and sadness." She also said there was "nothing more f***ed up than to pretend that his words and actions haven't been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so," remarks that were punctuated by laughter.
Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, was killed Thursday by a sniper as he walked across a campus in Utah, an attack that has deepened partisan divisions and prompted a wave of controversial reactions from figures across the political spectrum. The shooting prompted public expressions of grief and condemnation as well as criticism of several elected officials, educators and commentators who appeared to celebrate his death.
Kirk rose to national prominence by building a large following among young conservatives on college campuses and through social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Supporters hailed him as a prominent voice for conservative causes, while critics said his rhetoric frequently provoked and polarized public debate.
Omar pointed to a record of Kirk's past statements in explaining her reaction. She referenced comments cited by critics in which Kirk denigrated George Floyd and questioned the significance of Juneteenth. In 2021, during a live appearance, Kirk characterized Floyd in derogatory terms and repeated claims about fentanyl that contradicted an autopsy ruling. In later years he called Juneteenth a "race-based 'holiday'" and suggested efforts to elevate the day were politically motivated. In June 2025 he posted on X that "Juneteenth should not be a federal holiday."
Omar's interview was carried out by Zeteo host Mehdi Raza Hasan. The exchange came amid heightened tensions after Kirk's death, with many Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators condemning both the attack and what they described as celebratory remarks from some on the left. Democrats and progressives, meanwhile, said the focus should remain on the investigation into the killing and on condemning political violence.
The remarks by Omar and reactions to them underscore the deep partisan divisions that have accompanied the national conversation about Kirk's influence, rhetoric and the response to his death. Advocates for civil discourse have warned that heated language from public figures on all sides can contribute to a fraught political environment, while others say public figures must be held accountable for rhetoric they contend contributes to hostility and misinformation.
As the nation continued to grapple with the fallout from Kirk's killing, the exchange on Zeteo highlighted how a single violent event has reverberated through political debate, prompting disputes over accountability, the limits of rhetoric, and the tone of public discourse.