The Tony Kinnett Cast – Ep. 406

Title: New Details on Charlie Kirk's Assassin & the Twelve Hours of Desperate, Bald-faced Lies
Date: September 13, 2025
Host: Tony Kinnett
Guest: Elizabeth Mitchell (White House Correspondent)
Podcast: The Daily Signal

Episode Overview

This urgent and emotionally charged episode examines the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Tony Kinnett and guest Elizabeth Mitchell present new details about the assassin, scrutinize the flood of rumor and misinformation that followed, dissect major media coverage, and critique the political exploitation and toxic discourse surrounding Kirk’s murder. Kinnett emphasizes the real-world consequences of political rhetoric and media misrepresentation—culminating in calls for greater clarity, accountability, and for the left to disavow violence from Antifa-aligned elements.

1. Breaking News: The Capture of Charlie Kirk's Suspected Assassin

[00:36–09:07]

• Tony Kinnett opens with a discussion of the morning’s events, notably former President Trump’s announcement on Fox & Friends that the suspected assassin was apprehended.
• The suspect, a 22-year-old male, was turned in by his family. His father, both a law enforcement officer and a minister, convinced him to surrender.
• President Trump revealed:
  “The father convinced the son, this is it. ...They have the person that they wanted.” [01:40]

Notable Quote

“I want to see him publicly hanged. If he's the guy that did it, I want him from a rope in front of the entire country. ...But legally, the term that must be used is ‘suspected assassin.’”
— Tony Kinnett [04:40]

2. Key Details from Press Conference & Profile of the Assassin

[05:48–09:07]

• Elizabeth Mitchell recaps the Utah press conference:

  • The governor and FBI director confirmed the suspect’s capture.
  • The gun used had political messaging: anti-fascist slogans, lyrics from Antifa-associated songs, and coded references to left-wing memes and culture.
  • The suspect had openly discussed his political radicalization and dislike for Kirk in the days preceding the shooting.

• The assassin's family, recognizing his involvement, facilitated his surrender.

“His dad drove him to the police station and turned him in, which was a very great move, a very patriotic move.”
— Elizabeth Mitchell [08:33]

Political Messaging on Cartridges

• Slogans included "kill fascist", arrows (a Helldivers 2 game nod), and “if you read this, you are gay. LMAO”—an inside joke among young progressives.

• Connections were confirmed to Antifa Discord servers; law enforcement received evidence directly from these platforms.

Notable Quote

“It appears that, like we expected, he is someone who was radicalized by the far left. And so that suspicion is confirmed here.”
— Elizabeth Mitchell [06:38]

3. Dissecting Rumors & Media Misinformation

[09:07–21:15]

• Kinnett points out the rapid politicization of the shooting by mainstream and social media.
• Early misreporting was rampant:
  • False allegations about the assassin’s political alignment.
  • Photoshopped images and mistaken identity spread widely before retractions arrived—if ever.
  • Major outlets wrongly speculated that cartridge writings referenced video games (Helldivers 2), rather than Antifa or far-left memes.

Notable Quote

“Any kind of politically ambiguous statement that can be contrived will be shouted from the rooftops as proof this guy was a Republican.”
— Tony Kinnett [16:15]

• Specific phrases/memes found on ammunition were broken down carefully, including explanations of far-left meme culture.

Media Failure Example

• Social Democrat League falsely linked the shooter’s name with a Trump donor, sparking harassment of an uninvolved citizen.

“No fact checking, no double check, no reaching out... And yeah, you guessed it, that's not the same Tyler Robinson.”
— Tony Kinnett [29:32]

4. The Left’s and Media’s Reactions: Political Weaponization & “Both-Sidesism”

[21:15–38:22]

• Kinnett and Mitchell criticize how media and many on the left moderated condolences with caveats (“Despite my political views, I’m sorry Kirk died”), which they find dehumanizing.
• Kinnett argues Democrats and mainstream media were fixated on avoiding any acknowledgment of left-wing violence, instead turning to "both sides" arguments and at times blaming Kirk for hateful rhetoric.

Notable Moments

• Ezra Klein praised Kirk for civil discourse, which Kinnett and Mitchell highlight as the proper, empathetic response. [11:11]

• Interview with Benny Johnson, who rebuffs calls for “both-sides” equivalence:

  “Charlie Kirk has never advocated violence, ever... a non-violent, peaceful debater.”
  — Benny Johnson [53:35]

• They point to open celebration of Kirk’s death in progressive social media, academia, and even among some elected officials and public employees.

Notable Clips/Quotes

• MSNBC's Katie Phang:

  “We cannot be allowed to be cowed into submission by fear and intimidation.” [38:00]

• Pelosi:

  “We cannot take responsibility for the minds that are out there and how... what they might do or think. So we can say whatever we want.” [39:08]

• Asmongold (popular streamer), on reporting colleagues celebrating political violence:

  “You should feel unsafe because these people would justify violence against anybody who disagrees with them.” [48:33]

5. The Role of Rhetoric, Social Media, and Institutional Trust

[38:22–56:39]

• Kinnett connects the permissive attitude towards violent anti-conservative rhetoric with real-world radicalization, calling it a societal crisis requiring serious reckoning.
• Points out the hypocrisy in corporate America (quick to fire for anti-trans/anti-black comments, slow regarding gloating over Kirk’s death).
• Highlights that right-leaning figures and media have broadly condemned violence from their fringe, but the left and legacy media have not done the same toward Antifa and extreme left actors.

Notable Moment

• Comparing reactions to political violence against Paul Pelosi and Charlie Kirk, Kinnett argues the comparison is invalid and the double standard glaring.

6. Final Analysis & Call to Action

[56:39–End]

• Kinnett concludes with a renewed call for the Democratic Party to disavow Antifa and for violent rhetoric from all sides to be clearly condemned.
• Warns that if mainstream institutions do not regain public trust by honestly addressing political violence and toxic culture, further division and radicalization will ensue.

Notable Final Quotes

“You have the freedom of speech not to be killed for expressing your opinion... And even if Charlie Kirk did in fact say the things people are accusing him of... that's not a good enough reason to kill him. If you think that, you’re a terrible, awful person.”
— Tony Kinnett [1:03:22]

Key Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------| | 00:36 | Opening: Announcement of suspected assassin’s capture | | 05:48 | Elizabeth reports on press conference, suspect profile | | 08:33 | Family’s patriotic act: turning in the suspect | | 09:07 | Media reaction & misinformation begins | | 12:33 | Cartridges: dissection of slogans, memes, and media errors | | 29:32 | Example: False social media reports, doxxing innocent citizen | | 38:00 | MSNBC/CNN/Democratic responses & rhetoric | | 53:35 | Benny Johnson refutes “both sides” excuses | | 56:39 | Kinnett’s closing arguments, warning for the future |

Tone and Style

The episode is driven, indignant, and highly critical of mainstream/left media and political actors, blending investigative detail with Kinnett’s signature sardonic wit and intense emotional engagement. The underlying current is one of mourning—a call for accountability—and alarm at the coarsening of political discourse and its deadly consequences.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “Any lie that was put out... would be shouted from the rooftops—proof this guy was a Republican.” — Tony Kinnett [16:15]
• “His dad drove him to the police station and turned him in—a very patriotic move.” — Elizabeth Mitchell [08:33]
• “Charlie Kirk has never advocated violence, ever...a non-violent, peaceful debater.” — Benny Johnson [53:35]
• “If you believe that someone should be killed for saying things you don’t like—you are a terrible, awful person.” — Tony Kinnett [1:03:22]
• “Antifa should be listed today as a domestic terror organization.” — Tony Kinnett [34:10]

In Summary

This episode traces in detail the facts and fallout around Charlie Kirk’s assassination: the truth about the shooter and his radicalization, the torrent of lies and media bias that followed, and the wider societal risk of tolerating eliminationist rhetoric from any side. Kinnett demands more than platitudes or “both-sides” moral relativism—he calls for clarity, responsibility, and condemnation of violence—warning that America’s future vitality depends on it.