Was Matt Gutman fired from ABC? Claim erupts online as calls to fire reporter intensifies over reaction to Charlie Kirk assassin text

ABC News’ Chief National Correspondent, Matt Gutman is coming under fire for his comments on text messages between the accused in the Charlie Kirk’s assassin, Tyler Robinson and his roommate. Gutman was reporting from a press conference in Utah on September 16, where texts between Robinson and his transitioning partner were revealed. Gutman called the texts between the alleged partners “very touching,” and “robust.”

Gutman has not been fired from ABC yet. Netizens have been criticizing Gutman for appearing to empathize with Kirk’s alleged shooter and using positive words to describe his behavior.

Even though clips of his on air comments have been circulating on social media and calls for the journalist to be fired from ABC News in wake of his reportage are gaining increasing traction, neither Gutman, nor ABC News have responded.

A netizen mistakenly claimed that Gutman had been fired, and later commented on her initial post, confirming that she misunderstood the situation and Gutman had indeed not been fired.

What did Matt Gutman say about the messages sent by Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin?

While covering a press conference in Utah on Tuesday, Matt Gutman reported on the texts exchanged between Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting case, and his roommate who is thought to be partner.

As per The New York Post, the texts in which Robinson appears to confess to killing Kirk were described by Gutman, who said,

“But, also, it was very touching in a way that many of us didn’t expect. 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.”

According to clips circulating on social media about the report by Gutman the correspondent continues, and adds,

“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. And then, on the other hand, he was, you know, speaking so lovingly about his partner. So a very interesting, riveting press conference.”

DISGUSTING: ABC’s Matt Gutman says he’s not sure “if we have seen an alleged murder with such specific text messages” that were “very touching, in a way, that I think many of us didn’t expect — a very intimate portrait into this relationship between the suspect’s roommate and the… pic.twitter.com/ulPcxoOwM3

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 16, 2025

After the initial report, The New York Post reported that Gutman redoubled his out of tune comments, and said,

“I don’t think I ever experienced a press conference in which we’ve read text messages that are A – so fulsome, so robust, so apparently allegedly self-incriminating and yet, on the other hand, so touching, right?”

While speaking about Robinson’s alleged motivation behind fatally shooting Kirk, Gutman, as per the publication, added,

“And the terminology he used, he was trying to protect him. He kept calling him ‘my love.’ ‘My reason for doing this is to protect you,’ you know, but also asking him to delete the messages and not speak to law enforcement. So, there’s this heartbreaking duality that we’re seeing very tragically playing out.”

Posts on social media criticized Gutman’s tone and terminology that the journalist used to define a shooting suspects’ words and actions.

A netizen commented on the correspondent’s reporting and wrote,

“Matt Gutman,ABC reporter, must be fired! He reported out to our entire grieving nation that Charlie's ASSASSIN'S words to his roommate over the assassination were "TOUCHiNG"! As a reporter in the public eye, Gutman should have known how insensitive and hurtful his words would be.”

In a report by BBC, the text messages sent by Robinson to his roommate describe that he wants to return from Orem, Utah, where the shooting took place, but has to retrieve his rifle from a drop-off point.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if Gutman will be disciplined by ABC for his comments, as netizens are demanding.

Previously, the correspondent was suspended briefly after incorrectly reporting on Kobe Bryant’s death.