{"id":2487936,"date":"2025-09-17T21:52:02","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T01:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/abc-reporter-apologizes-after-being-blasted-for-calling-alleged-kirk-assassin-texts-touching\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T21:53:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T01:53:31","slug":"abc-reporter-apologizes-after-being-blasted-for-calling-alleged-kirk-assassin-texts-touching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/abc-reporter-apologizes-after-being-blasted-for-calling-alleged-kirk-assassin-texts-touching\/","title":{"rendered":"ABC reporter apologizes after being blasted for calling alleged Kirk assassin texts &#8216;touching&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fabc-reporter-apologizes-after-being-blasted-for-calling-alleged-kirk-assassin-texts-touching%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2487936&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article reports that ABC News Chief national Correspondent Matt Gutman issued a formal apology after backlash for describing text messages from Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of conservative figure Charlie Kirk, as &#8220;very touching&#8221; during a live broadcast. These texts, revealed during a Utah County press conference following the September 10 shooting at Utah Valley University, showed an intimate exchange between Robinson and his transgender partner, Lance Twiggs. Gutman had intended to highlight the contrast between the brutal assassination and the personal nature of the messages but was criticized for appearing to sympathize with the killer. In his apology, Gutman clarified his condemnation of the crime and expressed regret for his choice of words. Despite this, many critics remained dissatisfied and accused him of poor journalism. Robinson faces multiple serious charges, including aggravated murder, with authorities stating the shooting was premeditated and occurred in front of witnesses, including children. <br \/> <!DOCTYPE html><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">ABC reporter apologizes after being blasted for calling alleged Kirk assassin texts &lsquo;touching&rsquo;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2233505\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/columnists\/3788983\/terry-moran-doubles-down-trump-hate-liberal-media-scream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ABC News<\/a> Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman has issued a formal apology after facing intense backlash for describing text messages from Tyler Robinson, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3812321\/vance-says-kirk-would-welcome-debate-on-his-views-following-efforts-to-ban-hate-speech\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">alleged assassin<\/a> of conservative figure <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3812113\/ilhan-omar-censure-resolution-house-nancy-mace-charlie-kirk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charlie Kirk<\/a>, as &ldquo;very touching&rdquo; during a live broadcast.<\/p>\n<p>The remarks came after a Utah County press conference revealed shocking details about Robinson&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/12-year-old-girl-shoots-father-self-as-part-of-alleged-murder-pact-with-another-preteen-police\/\" title=\"12-Year-Old Girl Shoots Father, Self As Part Of ... Pact With Another Preteen: Police\">alleged murder plot<\/a> and his text exchanges with his transgender partner, Lance Twiggs, following the Sept. 10 shooting at Utah Valley University.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/3812675\/elon-musk-calls-jimmy-kimmel-disgusting-for-segment-on-kirks-assassination\/\">Elon Musk calls Jimmy Kimmel &#8216;disgusting&#8217; for Kirk Segment as ABC suspends show indefinitely<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3812632\/police-involved-shooting-pennsylvania\/\">Three officers dead and two others injured in Pennsylvania shooting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3812182\/1000-police-agencies-ice-287g-arrest-illegal-immigrants-dhs\/\">More than 1,000 police agencies agree to help ICE arrest illegal immigrants: DHS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Gutman attempted to highlight what he described as a &ldquo;duality&rdquo; in the case, the contrast between the brutality of the killing and the personal, emotional language in the messages between Robinson and Twiggs.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">DISGUSTING: ABC&rsquo;s Matt Gutman says he&rsquo;s not sure &ldquo;if we have seen an alleged murder with such specific text messages&rdquo; that were &ldquo;very touching, in a way, that I think many of us didn&rsquo;t expect &mdash; a very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect&rsquo;s roommate and the&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ulPcxoOwM3\">pic.twitter.com\/ulPcxoOwM3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CurtisHouck\/status\/1968030613178331411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;A very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect&rsquo;s roommate and the suspect himself,&rdquo; Gutman <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CurtisHouck\/status\/1968030613178331411\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> during the segment. &ldquo;It was very touching in a way that I think many of us didn&rsquo;t expect.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But the comment struck a nerve with many, who accused Gutman of romanticizing or sympathizing with the alleged killer.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the controversy, Gutman <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mattgutmanABC\/status\/1968261725943472448\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">took to X<\/a>, formerly Twitter, to explain his intent. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">1. Yesterday I tried to underscore the jarring contrast between this cold blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk &ndash; a man who dedicated his life to public dialogue &ndash; and the personal, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/abc-reporter-fabricates-text-to-make-kirk-assassin-look-better\/\" title=\"ABC Reporter Fabricates Text To Make ... Assassin Look Better\">disturbing texts read aloud<\/a> by the Utah County Attorney at the press conference.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Matt Gutman (@mattgutmanABC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mattgutmanABC\/status\/1968261725943472448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 17, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Gutman said he had hoped to underscore the &ldquo;jarring contrast&rdquo; between what he described as a &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >cold-blooded assassination&#038;rdquo<\/a>; and the &ldquo;personal, disturbing&rdquo; messages that were read aloud at the press conference. He referred to Kirk as &ldquo;a man who dedicated his life to public dialogue,&rdquo; and admitted that his commentary failed to make that contrast clear.<\/p>\n<p>He went on to express regret, saying he &ldquo;deeply&rdquo; wished he had chosen his words more carefully. Gutman also made clear that there should be &ldquo;zero doubt&rdquo; about where he stands on the crime, writing that he &ldquo;unequivocally condemns&rdquo; the assassination and the suffering it caused &mdash; not only to Charlie Kirk&rsquo;s family and those present at the event, but also to &ldquo;the millions of people he inspired.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Despite the apology, critics remained unconvinced.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;ABC and Matt Gutman have really reached a NEW LOW,&rdquo; one user said. &ldquo;Gutman found the murderer&rsquo;s texts to his lover, sent immediately after shooting a husband and father in the neck, oh so &lsquo;touching.&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Just&hellip; what? What are you doing, man?&rdquo; OutKick commentator Mary Katharine Ham <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mkhammer\/status\/1968041669728891228\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He really needs to be fired,&rdquo; another user added. &ldquo;Read the room. Or better yet, just report the facts. It&rsquo;s called journalism.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Others responded with biting sarcasm.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Ah yes, a modern-day Romeo and Julius,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Raymond83954156\/status\/1968386765183664445\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one user<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Raymond83954156\/status\/1968386765183664445\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Utah County Attorney&rsquo;s Office released transcripts of messages between Robinson and Twiggs that prosecutors say were sent just hours after Kirk was fatally shot.<\/p>\n<p>In one message, Robinson told Twiggs: &ldquo;Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>There, Twiggs reportedly found a handwritten note from Robinson stating: &ldquo;I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I&rsquo;m going to take it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>When Twiggs asked if the message was real, Robinson replied: &ldquo;I am still ok, my love, but am stuck in Orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn&rsquo;t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest, I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3444699\/timeline-increasing-incidents-political-violence-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">POLITICAL VIOLENCE ON THE RISE IN THE US: A TIMELINE OF KEY INCIDENTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Finally, when Twiggs directly asked whether Robinson was the shooter, Robinson responded: &ldquo;I am. I&rsquo;m sorry.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3809990\/charlie-kirk-shooting-tyler-robinson-seven-charges-death-penalty\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">several additional offenses.<\/a> Authorities say the act was premeditated and carried out in front of a crowd that included children, a factor that could carry serious sentencing implications.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ABC reporter apologizes for calling alleged assassin&#8217;s texts &#8216;touching<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2678,"featured_media":2487937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/robin.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[36827,5447,44152,63111,44995],"class_list":["post-2487936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-abc-reporter","tag-apology","tag-controversial-comments","tag-kirk-assassin","tag-media-backlash"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/robin.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2487936","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2678"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2487936"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2487936\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2487940,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2487936\/revisions\/2487940"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2487937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2487936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2487936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2487936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}