Harvard Law Professor Emeritus Laurence Tribe falsely claimed that the shooter accused in the assassination of Charlie Kirk was an “ultra-MAGA” extremist. The claim, amplified through social media, was quickly debunked by official records and media investigations, forcing Tribe to retract and apologize.
On September 14, Tribe reposted a thread from Occupy Democrats alleging Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect charged in Kirk’s murder, held “ultra-MAGA” political beliefs. The claim spread widely online and was treated as credible due to Tribe’s academic stature. However, within 24 hours, multiple fact-checks confirmed the claim was not supported by any evidence.
According to the Associated Press, Robinson’s Utah voter registration was inactive and listed his affiliation as “unaffiliated.” He had no registered Republican or MAGA-aligned political ties. Additional reporting from Fox News confirmed Robinson was living with a transgender partner, raising further questions about the ideological motivations ascribed to him by Tribe’s repost.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters that Robinson had expressed dislike for Kirk and may have been radicalized online. However, Cox offered no support for the MAGA association. The investigation remains ongoing, and law enforcement has not suggested any political motive tied to the conservative movement or President Trump’s supporters.
Tribe later deleted the repost and issued a short apology, admitting he was “premature” in assuming Robinson’s political orientation. The professor stated, “I’m sorry I reposted a tweet to that effect before deleting my repost.”
