Charlie Kirk's alleged killer used Trump's name as a pseudonym on gaming platform: report

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week, used the name of President Donald Trump as a pseudonym on the video game platform Steam, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the investigation.

Although Kirk was not under Secret Service protection, the agency has joined the FBI in the investigation to better understand Robinson’s motives and online behavior, the report noted.

Investigators are said to be analyzing his activity on online platforms like Steam to help build a profile, with the goal of identifying how individuals form violent ideologies, choose targets and whether they pose broader threats to public figures, per the report.

According to people familiar with the matter, who were not named in the report, the use of Trump’s name is part of Robinson’s broader digital footprint being looked at.

His Steam account, which has been active for 11 years, includes thousands of logged gaming hours and links to an account believed to belong to his partner, per the report.

Robinson’s account is said to have showed heavy engagement with online communities and subcultures.

After the September 10 shooting, investigators began combing through his social media and online presence. He had left symbols and messages on bullet casings tied to niche internet cultures, including those found in the video game Helldivers 2 — which explores themes related to fascism — and the furry community.

The report further noted that other games Robinson played frequently included Pictopix, Deep Rock Galactic, Viscera Cleanup Detail (a game where players clean up sci-fi carnage) and PowerWash Simulator.

In total, his profile logs nearly 5,000 hours of gameplay — though experts note that Steam users can often leave games running without actively playing them.

Despite the focus on Robinson’s gaming habits, the report said, researchers caution against drawing direct connections between video games and real-world violence.

“We have been studying the links between violent video-game play and violence for decades and there is no evidence linking the two,” Rachel Kowert, Ph.D., a research psychologist who specializes in gaming culture and extremism told the outlet.

“Focusing on that link is frustrating because it detracts from conversations about other factors that we know do directly contribute to somebody committing a violent act, like previous exposure to violence, access to weapons and peer delinquency.”

Reactions from Steam users have varied widely, with some expressing support for Kirk, and others condemning Robinson and his partner — who is said to be transgender — and a few posting messages of support for Robinson.

The incident has brought new attention to Steam and its handling of extremist content.

Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) has called on Valve President Gabe Newell to testify in a hearing next month.