Montel Williams Claims Charlie Kirk’s Suspected Assassin Driven by Love, Not Politics

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Former talk show host Montel Williams stated on CNN Tuesday that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was motivated by love for his partner rather than political ideology.

On the program ‘CNN NewsNight,’ Williams described Robinson, 22, as an ’emotionally stunted person’ acting out of desperation to defend his transgender partner. ‘I don’t believe he was motivated politically. I think this was motivated emotionally,’ he said during the discussion.

Robinson allegedly shot Kirk during a public event at Utah Valley University last week. Williams highlighted the context surrounding the incident, noting that Robinson waited for a specific moment, the mention of transgender issues, before firing the shot. ‘He sat on that building for 30 minutes before he took the shot. Why do you wait until the first word “trans” came up?’ he asked.

Text messages shared by authorities revealed Robinson’s affection for his partner, referring to them as ‘my love.’ In one text, Robinson expressed distress, saying, ‘I had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.’

Williams’s comments generated debate among the panelists on CNN, with conservative commentator Scott Jennings pushing back against Williams’s claims. Jennings argued that Robinson’s actions were politically motivated, pointing to evidence linking the shooter to leftist ideologies.

‘Guys, the evidence here is overwhelming,’ Jennings asserted. ‘The testimony and the statements from his family indicate he had become more left-wing.’ He criticized Williams for downplaying the political context of the murder.

In the face of Jennings’s objections, Williams maintained that Robinson acted out of love and emotional turmoil rather than a calculated political motive. ‘We’re talking about a love-torn child, a kid,’ he said.

Robinson is facing several charges, including aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm. His partner has been cooperative with the ongoing investigation.