The New York Times on Thursday reportedly issued a correction after wrongly attributing an antisemitic statement to Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, whose assassination this last week has shaken the political world.
The Times initially reported that Kirk had declared on his podcast in 2023 that Jewish communities were “pushing the exact kind of hatred against whites” that they wanted stopped against themselves. In fact, Kirk had cited a tweet making that claim, then critiqued it, leading the paper to walk back its reporting.
“An earlier version of this article described incorrectly an antisemitic statement that Charlie Kirk had made on an episode of his podcast,” the correction read. “He was quoting a statement from a post on social media and went on to critique it. It was not his own statement.”
On the podcast, Kirk had taken pains to clarify his position. “Now let me just say, this is not a very well-written tweet. It’s very confusing,” he told listeners. “Half of this tweet is true, half of it, I don’t like. You want the truth said to your face. There it is. Elon responds, and he says you have said the actual truth … But the first part is absolutely true.”
Kirk, who was often outspoken about cultural and political divisions, drew a distinction between individuals and institutions. “Now I don’t like generalizations. Not every Jewish person believes that,” he explained. “But it is true, the Anti-Defamation League was part and parcel with Black Lives Matter. It is true that some of the largest financiers of left-wing anti-white causes have been Jewish Americans.”
The Times’ correction underscored the challenges of accurately covering a figure who frequently criticized mainstream media. Kirk argued repeatedly that his views were misrepresented in order to cast him as extreme, even as he positioned himself as a defender of faith, family, and constitutional liberty.
After his death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute, calling Kirk a “lionhearted friend of Israel” who “stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.” The remark contrasted sharply with the tone of the Times’ article, which highlighted Kirk’s opposition to progressive causes such as gender ideology in schools and his criticism of what he called the politicization of race.
The article also noted Kirk’s skepticism toward the narrative surrounding George Floyd, who, as Kirk emphasized, had a lengthy criminal record prior to his death in 2020. It pointed out that Kirk “dismissed concerns” about climate change and rejected the idea that global warming represents an “existential threat.”
Kirk’s death has already intensified national debates over political violence. Authorities announced on Friday the arrest of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson following an intensive manhunt. President Donald Trump, speaking on “Fox & Friends,” revealed that someone “very close” to Robinson had turned him in.
For conservatives, the Times’ mischaracterization of Kirk before issuing its correction serves as another reminder of what they see as a media establishment quick to vilify outspoken right-of-center figures. Kirk, they argue, was not silenced by criticism in life—and in death, the battle over his legacy is likely to continue.
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