The poll was conducted by NBC News.
In poll results released by NBC News this week, it was revealed that the majority of Democrats agreed that “extreme political rhetoric” played a key role in the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
The poll results showed that 54% of Democrats said “extreme political rhetoric used by some in the media and by political leaders was an important contributor” to Kirk’s assassination.
According to the results, 73% of Republicans and 53% of independent voters responded the same.
The survey showed that across all respondents, 61% of Americans said they believed this rhetoric contributed to Charlie Kirk’s death.
For the first time in 15 years of NBC News polling, majorities of all major American political groups agree that extreme rhetoric was a major factor in causing a violent incident, according to results.
Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10th, 2025, during an appearance at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old charged with assassinating Kirk, is alleged to have engraved phrases such as “hey fascist! CATCH!” on his bullet casings. He reportedly had a transgender boyfriend.
Members of his family have said that Robinson became politically extreme and moved farther left on the political spectrum in the year leading up to Kirk’s murder.
Robinson faces charges that include aggravated murder, which could lead to the death penalty.
Robinson’s next hearing is scheduled for January 16th, 2026. He is expected to make his first in-person appearance.
