Matthew Dowd Fired From MSNBC Over Charlie Kirk Comments

MSNBC fired political pundit and partner of Maria Shriver, Matthew Dowd, following his comments on-air about the murder of Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk on September 10, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Here’s everything we know about Dowd’s firing.

What did Matthew Dowd say?

When journalist Katy Tur asked Dowd about “the environment in which a shooting like this happens,” Dowd responded, “He’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive, younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.” He added that, “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.” Dowd made the comments following the shooting but before Kirk’s death was confirmed, per Time.

Did he apologize? Did MSNBC?

Both he and MSNBC later apologized for the comments. “My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk,” Dowd wrote on Bluesky that evening. “On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my 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.”

In a statement, MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler said Dowd’s comments were “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable.” “We apologize for his statements, as has he,” the statement added. “There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”

Has Dowd made any comments, post-firing?

On his Substack, Dowd said he was in “shell shock” over what had transpired. He also defended his remarks. “I said that Kirk has been a very divisive and polarizing figure. I then added that we are in a toxic time in America, unlike every other democracy in the world, where we have a combination of divisiveness and near unlimited access to guns. The effort by Holocaust survivors to remind folks of Germany in the 1930s #ItStartedWithWords came to my mind and I said my now legendary line ‘hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which ultimately lead to hateful action,’” he wrote. “I thought to myself how could anyone disagree with this. I guess I was naive.”

Dowd wrote that his words were misconstrued by the “Right Wing media mob,” and that “ most at MSNBC knew my words were being misconstrued, the timing of my words forgotten (remember I said this before anyone knew Kirk was a target), and that I apologized for any miscommunication on my part.” He then said he’s going to be leaning into Subtack and other platforms “to unite our country around a common-sense vision of ideals and values.”