Political commentator Charlie Kirk was no stranger to controversy. Tragically, the right-wing activist was recently killed during an appearance at Utah Valley University. The Turning Point USA founder was a prominent voice in the MAGA movement and an ardent supporter of Donald Trump. Over the years, he shared a myriad of controversial opinions. In the wake of his death, many are hearing them for the first time.
Charlie Kirk’s most controversial quotes
Below, we’ve collected some of Kirk’s most contentious moments and attempted to put them into context for readers. It’s not our intention to vilify him. Instead, we want to provide background beyond a brief quote or snippet of video for you to make your own decision about his legacy.
Charlie Kirk thought gun deaths were “worth it” in exchange for the Second Amendment
One of Charlie Kirk’s most controversial statements comes from a Turning Point USA Faith event Q&A (starting around the 1:13:00 mark) in April 2023 where he was fielding a question about gun rights:
“It’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights… That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”
Why it was controversial:
At face value, these statements can be taken as callous. In particular, Kirk was criticized for stating that deaths were “worth it” in any context. Critics felt that Kirk’s position indicated an indifference to victims.
However, despite the poor wording, Kirk’s position aligns with the traditional conservative view on gun ownership and the Second Amendment. At no time was he quoted as endorsing anyone’s death, and in context, his statement was referring to the inevitability that a society with access to firearms will contain individuals who use them to harm others.
Charlie Kirk believes empathy is harmful and “made-up”
On the October 12, 2022, episode of his podcast (around 36:40), Charlie Kirk stated:
“I can’t stand the word empathy, actually. I think empathy is a made-up, new age term that does a lot of damage.”
Why it was controversial:
Empathy is generally considered to be a positive human trait, so many saw Kirk’s statement as bizarre. In context, Kirk’s quote is a clumsy attempt to explain that he disliked politicians using what he perceived as false empathy to garner voter support. However, instead of elaborating further, Kirk later doubled down when criticized for the statement.
Charlie Kirk claims birth control is causing women to be angry and bitter
During a TPUSA Faith event on March 21, 2025, Charlie Kirk criticized birth control (around 36:50), stating:
“…birth control really screws up female brains, by the way. Every single one of you needs to make sure that your loved ones are not on birth control. It increases depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Birth control is the number one prescribed medication for young ladies under the age of 25. They will give young ladies birth control for pimples, for acne, to control their moods, and their period. It is awful, it’s terrible, and it creates very angry and bitter young ladies and young women.”
Why it was controversial:
Hormonal birth control has been lauded for giving women the freedom to live active sex lives and avoid pregnancy. So, many were taken aback by the suggestion that Kirk was attacking something many people perceive as a positive. Critics were also appalled by his encouragement for listeners to make sure their loved ones aren’t on birth control, which would undoubtedly raise their risk of pregnancy.
Charlie Kirk believes a hypothetical 10-year-old rape victim should give birth
In a video uploaded to the Jubilee account on YouTube on September 8, 2024, titled “Can 25 Liberal College Students Outsmart 1 Conservative?” the following exchange between Kirk and a student debater took place around the 18 minute mark:
Student: “So if you had a daughter and she was 10 and she got raped and she was going to give birth and she was going to live, would you want her to go through that and her rapists baby….”
Kirk: “That’s awfully graphic.”
Student: “But it’s a real-life scenario that happens to many people.”
Kirk: “The answer is yes, the baby would be delivered.”
Why it was controversial:
Obviously, the scenario itself is shocking, but Kirk’s anti-abortion stance was considered extreme even amongst conservatives. Many pro-life advocates support an exception in the case of rape, incest, or youth, so Kirk’s comments even made many of his supporters uncomfortable.
Charlie Kirk feared Black pilots may not be qualified
On episode 29 of the panel discussion podcast Thoughtcrime (around 50:30), which aired on January 18, 2024, Charlie Kirk derided Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, particularly pertaining to airlines, saying:
“If I see a Black pilot, I’m gonna be like ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified.'”
He went on to say:
“That’s not who I am, that’s not what I believe.”
He defended his position by explaining that DEI initiatives often end up eroding public confidence, especially in complex, high-risk professions like airline piloting.
Why it was controversial
Even in context, many agreed the statement is hard to spin as anything but racist. Critics noted that it undermined the efforts of Black professionals and that any evidence suggesting that DEI initiatives improved pilot quality was anecdotal at best.
Charlie Kirk implored Taylor Swift to “submit to your husband”
In late August 2025, after hearing the news of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement, Charlie Kirk made the following statement on his podcast:
“Reject feminism. Submit to your husband, Taylor. You’re not in charge. I think Taylor Swift should get married and have a ton of children. She should have more children than she has houses. That’s my challenge, Taylor. If she has children, she’ll stop this liberal nonsense. One of the reasons she’s been so annoyingly liberal is that she’s not yet married and doesn’t have kids.”
He went on to suggest that Swift take her husband’s last name as proof of her commitment.
Swift’s fanbase immediately mobilized in her defense, leading to heavy criticism of Kirk across social media.
Why it was controversial:
Kirk’s comments were extremely unpopular among Swift’s fanbase. Swift has framed herself as an independent feminist, and Kirk essentially asked her to throw that away and take on a traditional role. He was already unpopular amongst leftists, and this only cemented their dislike of him further. Kirk continued to double down on his statements, and some critics found it to be gauche since neither Swift nor Kelce responded to his prodding.
