ABC’s Matt Gutman issues apology after calling Charlie Kirk suspect’s texts ‘very touching’

WASHINGTON, DC: ABC News chief national correspondent Matt Gutman has issued an apology following heavy backlash over his report on Tyler Robinson, accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Gutman’s remarks during a Utah press conference quickly went viral, sparking outrage from Republicans and media figures who accused him of softening the image of the accused.

Matt Gutman’s remarks on Tyler Robinson spark firestorm

While covering the Utah press conference Tuesday, Gutman described alleged text messages between suspect Tyler Robinson and his partner as “very touching in a way that many of us didn’t expect.”

The journalist went on to call the exchange “a very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect's roommate and the suspect himself, with him repeatedly calling his roommate, who is transitioning, calling him, ‘my love’ and ‘I want to protect you my love,’” said Gutman.

“So it was this duality of someone who the attorney said not only jeopardized the life of Charlie Kirk and the crowd, but was doing it in front of children, which is one of the aggravating circumstances of this case,” he added.

Gutman then said, “And then on the other hand, he was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reacted by saying: “Legacy media in all its glory.” Fox News host Will Cain called Gutman’s framing “fundamentally, irredeemably, broken.”

Meghan McCain posted: “Is everyone @ABC out of their minds?!”

Matt Gutman issues statement after backlash

Facing mounting outrage, Matt Gutman released a statement Wednesday morning.

“Yesterday I tried to underscore the jarring contrast between this cold-blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk – a man who dedicated his life to public dialogue – and the personal, disturbing texts read aloud by the Utah County Attorney at the press conference,” wrote Gutman.

He added: “I deeply regret that my words did not make that clear. But let there be zero doubt here: I unequivocally condemn this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family, those who were forced to witness it at UVU, and the millions of people he inspired.”

It remains unclear whether Gutman made the statement voluntarily or under direction from ABC News leadership.

Internet calls Matt Gutman’s apology ‘not good enough’

Online reactions poured in, with many dismissing Matt Gutman’s apology.

One user wrote, “Sorry. Not acceptable – He’s not sorry for it, he’s sorry he got called out for it.”

Another added, “Not good enough. The days of an ‘I’m sorry’ are over. He must be fired and cancelled. He will be.”

Others echoed the sentiment. “Fire him immediately,” one demanded. Another user wrote, “False apology not accepted.”

One more posted, “Not buying it. He knew what he was doing.” Still, some voices offered a different take.

“If we are going to demand apologies, then we must accept those apologies with grace and move on," wrote one.

Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10 while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University. Tyler Robinson appeared in court Tuesday and has been charged with capital murder.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.