A fierce floor battle erupted in the U.S. House following the shocking death of Charlie Kirk, igniting a bitter partisan clash over who bears responsibility for America’s latest high-profile shooting. The debate grew even more heated after former President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he “doesn’t know” what motivated Kirk’s killer—a remark that instantly drew fire from conservatives.
“We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy,” Obama posted on X.
That statement sparked outrage from OutKick founder Clay Travis, who, speaking on Fox News, accused the former president of fostering the very climate that led to Kirk’s murder. “You can’t call the president of the United States Adolf Hitler for 10 years, and then act surprised when someone tries to kill us,” Travis charged. “You caused this! When you tell unstable people that someone is Hitler, you are essentially telling them: go kill him.”
Travis pointed to years of political rhetoric, citing NBC’s report that Obama once privately labeled Trump a “fascist” during the 2016 campaign, with Hillary Clinton echoing the sentiment while urging voters to stop him from reaching the White House.
He also highlighted the case of Ryan Wesley Routh—the 58-year-old who attempted to assassinate Trump in West Palm Beach—saying the man admitted he targeted Trump because he believed he was “like Hitler.”
“This is what they do,” Travis declared. “Left-wing violence is spiraling out of control. And now Charlie Kirk has become one of its latest victims.”
