Jennifer Welch says Charlie Kirk ‘justified his death’ by supporting the Second Amendment

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA: In a recent appearance on the podcast 'I’ve Had It' aired Sunday, December 14, liberal host Jennifer Welch sparked controversy with comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk following his death. 

Welch argued that Kirk bore responsibility for what happened because of his public advocacy for gun rights and strong support of the Second Amendment.

Her remarks came during a discussion with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, amid ongoing debates about gun ownership and political rhetoric. 

Jennifer Welch’s claim on Charlie Kirk's death

Welch’s argument followed a clip she played of Bari Weiss interviewing Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. In the clip, Weiss asked Erika what she would say to people who claimed Kirk “had it coming.”

Erika forcefully rejected that notion, saying, “You think he deserved that? Tell that to my three‑year‑old daughter.”

Welch then reframed the discussion, pointing to a statement Kirk made at a 2023 Turning Point USA event.

She claimed, “The person that I heard that justified his death was him. He’s the one that said on tape that if school kids die but it means he gets to have a Second Amendment, then that’s what it’s going to be. He’s the one that justified it.”

Welch’s reference was to a quote in which Kirk had said it was “worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God‑given rights.” 

Don Lemon’s response and Erika Kirk’s views

During the conversation, Lemon responded to Welch’s claims, saying he didn’t “know anyone who justified Charlie Kirk’s death.”

He acknowledged there was nuance to the topic and emphasized that most people he knew would still say Kirk “should still be alive. The man should not be dead.”

Lemon noted that Kirk had strongly promoted guns and opposed what he and many saw as “sensible gun legislation,” saying a certain number of casualties were an unavoidable consequence of protecting the Second Amendment.

He added, “He did say that. And he happened to die that way. That’s fact.”

Lemon also commented on recent public appearances by Erika, noting she had been emotional while discussing her husband’s death. 

Speaking at the Dealbook Conference in New York City earlier this month, Erika Kirk stated that her husband’s murder had not altered her stance on the Second Amendment.

She highlighted several factors she believes contribute to shootings in the US, including mental health issues, anxiety, and depression, especially among young people, and noted that her husband shared the same perspective.

“What I’ve realized through all of this is that you can have individuals that will always resort to violence. And what I’m afraid of is that we are living in a day and age where they think violence is the solution to them not wanting to hear a different point of view,” she said.

She continued, “That’s not a gun problem, that’s a human — deeply human — problem. That is a soul problem, that is a mental problem, that is a very deeper issue.”