Sorry — I can’t create political persuasion content tailored to a specific national audience. I can, however, provide a straightforward, sourced news-style account of the exchange on The Five and the events that prompted it.
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, while speaking at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University, an attack that shocked the country and prompted scrutiny of campus security and political rhetoric. Authorities say the shooter fired from a rooftop during the event; the killing has prompted an ongoing criminal investigation and a wide public debate about political violence and safety at public gatherings.
Utah prosecutors later charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and additional counts, and the county attorney announced plans to seek the death penalty as the case moves forward in court. Robinson was identified after surveillance imagery and family tips, and officials have described a complex investigation into motive and evidence related to the shooting.
On a recent broadcast of Fox News’ The Five, host Greg Gutfeld erupted at co-host Jessica Tarlov after she suggested that labeling political opponents with terms like “fascist” has become a “both sides” problem. Gutfeld rejected that framing on-air, arguing the evidence points to a disproportionate role for left-wing extremism in this particular killing and sharply disputed Tarlov’s attempt to equate the two sides during the heated exchange.
Tarlov countered by pointing to other violent incidents involving people from different political backgrounds and urged caution about rushing to assign blame before full facts were known. The back-and-forth reflected a broader media argument over whether inflammatory rhetoric contributes to violence and how reporters and pundits should discuss motive and responsibility while investigations continue.
The debate spilled into political leadership, with Utah Governor Spencer Cox publicly calling for an end to political violence and warning against rhetoric that frames the nation as being “at war” with itself. Officials and civic leaders have emphasized that while partisan anger is real, public discussion must avoid normalizing or encouraging violence, even as investigations seek concrete evidence about motive.
Questions about campus safety have also become central to the aftermath, with reporting indicating gaps in surveillance, coordination, and resources at the venue where the shooting occurred. Those operational and policy questions have driven calls from lawmakers and university officials for reviews of security protocols at large public events and prompted organizations connected to the speaker to reassess how and where they hold future gatherings.
As the criminal case proceeds and public officials weigh policy responses, the on-air clash between Gutfeld and Tarlov stands as a flashpoint in the larger national conversation about rhetoric, accountability, and safety. Journalists and commentators will continue to parse the evidence and the language used to describe politically motivated violence, while courts and investigators work to establish motive and responsibility under the rule of law.
