MSNBC released political analyst Matthew Dowd for comments he made following the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calling them “insensitive and unacceptable.”
Mr. Dowd had been speaking to MSNBC anchor Katy Tur in the immediate aftermath of the shooting at a Utah college event that killed Mr. Kirk, 31, on Wednesday.
Discussing the environment around the shooting, Mr. Dowd said Mr. Kirk had been “one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups.”
He also said that “hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.”
“I think that is the environment we are in,” he said. “You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that’s the unfortunate environment we are in.”
Mr. Dowd, a former strategist for President George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign, at one point said they didn’t know if the shooting was due to a supporter “shooting their gun off in celebration or … So we have no idea about this.”
Social media commenters called the comments odd and insensitive, prompting an apology from MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler.
“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable,” she wrote on X. “We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”
Later, Variety reported that Mr. Dowd had been fired from the network.
Mr. Dowd, writing on his X account, apologized for his “tone and words.”
“Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind,” he wrote.
Mr. Kirk was a key driver of President Trump’s MAGA movement through Turning Point USA, a young-oriented conservative group, and frequently appeared on college campuses.
Mr. Trump hailed Mr. Kirk as “legendary” and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff.
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