'Pray to God': How Republican rhetoric changed after Tyler Robinson was identified

Conservative leaders who initially rushed to blame “radical left” ideology in right‑wing activist Charlie Kirk’s killing have somewhat softened their tone since the suspect, 22‑year‑old Tyler Robinson of Utah, was identified.

In an article for the Guardian published Saturday, reporter Lauren Aratani noted that while they continue to condemn liberal ideas broadly, many conservatives shifted from harsh ideological indictments to more personal, cautious statements as new details emerged.

According to reports, Robinson's parents are registered Republicans. His own political leanings are still unclear. Authorities found social‑media photos showing him and his family posing with guns.

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The alleged shooter was reportedly raised in a suburban area near St. George, Utah, in what appeared to be a supportive home. He achieved top marks on standardized exams, kept a perfect GPA, and had strong academic standing, as shown by posts from family and friends.

After finishing high school in 2021, he shared a video celebrating his acceptance at Utah State University along with a merit-based scholarship covering four years.

However, he only attended Utah State for one semester before taking a leave and did not return.

Still, some conservatives on social media are claiming he was "radicalized" at the university.

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Meanwhile, Utah’s Gov. Spencer Cox (R) told investigators Robinson was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology,” citing but not detailing what led to that conclusion.

Early reporting claimed bullet casings from the suspect’s gun were engraved with trans‑and‑antifascist ideology, but media outlets later retracted or corrected some of those claims; what remains is that most of the inscriptions are reportedly memes or video‑game references.

Aratani noted that after the suspect’s identity was made public, some conservative critics shifted to emphasizing aspects like mental health, religious faith, or the need for prayer and compassion, rather than solely ideology. Earlier, many were calling for violence and revenge.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R‑S.C.), for instance, moved from demanding the death penalty to urging prayer for Robinson’s soul.

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On Wednesday, the South Carolina Republican said “it’s time to bring back the death penalty” following Kirk’s murder.

But when his alleged murderer's identity was revealed on Friday, Mace said that Kirk “would want us to pray for such an evil and lost individual like Tyler Robinson to find Jesus Christ”.

“We will try to do the same,” she wrote on the social platform X.

The article also noted that White nationalist Nick Fuentes pushed back against suggestions that Robinson was a “Groyper,” a term for one of his followers, after reports surfaced about engravings on the bullets from the alleged shooter’s gun that fueled speculation about his beliefs.

The Groypers have long taken issue with Kirk, frequently heckling him at his events over the perception that Kirk is too centrist.

On social media, Fuentes declared, “Currently being framed for the murder of Charlie Kirk,” though in a streaming video he also said, “I pray to God there is no further violence.”

Despite the softening toward Robinson personally, many conservatives are still using Kirk’s death to attack liberal ideas and institutions, arguing that the broader political culture tolerates or even encourages hateful rhetoric, especially around gender identity and transgender issues.

Aratani highlighted how political narratives can shift when more facts come out: when the suspect was only a statistic or ideological cipher, criticism was sweeping. Once a specific background of the alleged shooter became identified, some of the most extreme rhetoric became more measured.