MSNBC fires analyst Matthew Dowd for 'unacceptable' comments about Charlie Kirk

MSNBC has fired political analyst Matthew Dowd for suggesting hateful rhetoric from TPUSA co-founder Charlie Kirk led to his own assassination two sources familiar with the matter advised Fox News Digital The system previously denounced Dowd's comments on social media During our developing news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate insensitive and unacceptable MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler reported in a declaration We apologize for his statements as has he There is no place for violence in America political or otherwise A spokesperson for MSNBC declined to comment Dowd joined MSNBC in after a long stint at ABC News MSNBC APOLOGIZES FOR ANALYST'S UNACCEPTABLE COMMENTS AFTER CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTINGAfter Kirk was shot Wednesday afternoon Dowd suggested it was caused by a chain reaction from his hateful words against various groups Kirk a leading conservative activist and top ally of President Donald Trump later died at the age of Before the news that Kirk had died Dowd described MSNBC host Katy Tur We don t know any of the full details of this yet We don t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration Dowd mentioned Kirk has been one of the greater part 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 And I constantly go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words which then lead to hateful actions I think that s the habitat we re in that the people just 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 surroundings we're in he added Dowd's comments were widely condemned in the wake of the tragic shooting with numerous figures calling for his termination Dowd tried to backtrack on the liberal social media platform Bluesky On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was appealed a question on the circumstances 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 Dowd wrote Dowd a Democrat who was formerly a Republican strategist and an independent is one of the majority of rabidly anti-GOP voices on cable news He made a failed bid for the Democratic nomination for Texas lieutenant governor in Fox News' Brian Flood and Alexander Hall contributed to this overview