A majority of Democrats, Independents and Republicans agree that ‘extremist political rhetoric’ contributed to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to a new poll.
The survey from NBC News found that 54% of Democrats agree that extreme rhetoric from ‘some in the media and by political leaders’ was a major factor in Kirk’s killing. An overwhelming majority of Republicans, 73%, expressed the same sentiment, while 53% of Independents agreed.
Across all respondents, 61% of Americans said they believe rhetoric contributed to Kirk’s death.
Meanwhile, 28% said they believed Kirk’s killing was caused more by the lone actions of a disturbed individual than the broader political climate. Another 4% said it was a combination of the two.
The poll marks the first time in 15 years of NBC News polling that majorities of all major American political groups agree that extreme rhetoric was a major factor in causing a violent incident.
Polls going back to the 2011 shooting of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., show a steady rise in Americans blaming political rhetoric for violence, rather than just a lone individual.
In Giffords’ case, 71% of respondents blamed the lone attacker, while 24% blamed rhetoric. By the time of President Donald Trump’s second assassination attempt, however, 37% blamed the attacker and 54% blamed rhetoric.
Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, faces a capital punishment trial in Utah. Members of his family say he became politically extreme and moved further and further to the left in the year leading up to Kirk’s assassination.
Robinson faces a slew of charges, including aggravated murder, which carries the potential the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea.
Judge Tony Graf granted a defense motion to allow Robinson to wear civilian clothes in court, citing his constitutional presumption of innocence, but denied a motion to allow him to appear without shackles.
Robinson’s next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2026, when he is expected to make his first in-person appearance.
Fox News’ Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.