NEW YORK – MSNBC has terminated its contract with political analyst Matthew Dowd following controversial comments he made in the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The network deemed Dowd's remarks "inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable," leading to his swift dismissal on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

The incident occurred shortly after Kirk, a prominent right-wing commentator and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Appearing on MSNBC Live with Katy Tur, Dowd was asked about the environment that could lead to such a tragedy. He responded by characterizing Kirk as a "divisive younger figure" who "constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech," and stated that "hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions."

Dowd's commentary was met with widespread criticism on social media, with many interpreting his remarks as blaming the victim for his own death. The backlash prompted an immediate apology from MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler, who issued a statement on the network's public relations X account expressing regret for Dowd's statements and emphasizing that "there is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise."

Following the network's apology, Matthew Dowd himself issued an apology via his BlueSky account. He stated, "My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk. On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words." He further clarified, "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."

Despite the apologies, the controversy led to Dowd's termination from MSNBC. Dowd, a seasoned political analyst who joined MSNBC in 2022 after a long career at ABC News, had been a frequent voice on political commentary. His past work includes serving as chief strategist for the George W. Bush–Cheney 2004 presidential campaign. The incident underscores the sensitive nature of political discourse surrounding acts of violence and the scrutiny faced by media personalities during breaking news events.