Dave Portnoy argued that Donald Trump played a “huge part” in creating the divisive political climate that contributed to Charlie Kirk’s killing, though not directly responsible for the act.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has publicly suggested that former President Donald Trump bears partial responsibility for fostering the polarized political atmosphere that he believes contributed to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Portnoy made the remarks during his “The Unnamed Show” podcast, insisting “Trump has a huge part in it,” explaining, “I don’t necessarily mean he’s to blame for it, but he’s so divisive … just his face is like divisive, like he just, people hate him so much.”
Kirk, age 31, was shot from a distance while speaking at Utah Valley University; the assailant remains at large. Portnoy described the country as having “deep ideological divisions” which are regularly worsened by rhetoric from both left and right, though he singled out Trump’s influence as especially significant. He emphasized that after attempts on Trump’s life, for instance in Butler, Pennsylvania, there’s a brief period of lowered rhetoric—“let’s tone down the rhetoric”—followed by its swift return.
Portnoy stopped short of holding Trump directly responsible for the violence; he said the divisions are societal, rooted in political language and perception.