In a Nov. 13 podcast, journalist Katie Couric pressed Sen. John Fetterman to weigh in on whether the posthumous honors for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk were excessive. The Pennsylvania Democrat declined to second‑guess the decisions, condemned political violence, and said disagreement never justifies assassination.
Senator John Fetterman (D‑Pa.) faced pointed questions from Katie Couric on her podcast, asking whether the posthumous tributes for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk went too far. Couric cited three decisions after Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination at Utah Valley University: lowering flags to half‑staff nationwide, flying his casket aboard Air Force Two, and awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “Do you think that flags should have been flown at half-staff? Do you think his body should have been flown on Air Force Two? Do you think he should have posthumously been given the Presidential Medal of Freedom?” she asked. Fetterman replied, “I’d say that that was his choice and his prerogative, and that was really entirely up to him.” The exchange appeared on the Nov. 13 episode of Next Question with Katie Couric. (iheart.com)
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, an event that drew national attention and prompted a wave of mourning across the political spectrum. The Washington Post reported that the killing occurred during a campus debate-style appearance that was part of Kirk’s college tour. (washingtonpost.com)
Couric pressed Fetterman on whether he took issue with Kirk’s rhetoric. Fetterman said he disagreed with much of it but had not done a “deep dive” on Kirk’s statements. He called the widely shared video of the killing “appalling,” reiterated that political violence is “unacceptable,” and added: “Engaging in a debate and views I strongly disagree on, that’s part of American democracy … that would never justify what’s happened.” He said he chose not to litigate Kirk’s views after “children lost their father in the most violent, public way,” and urged, “We have to disagree in better ways … we have to turn the temperature down.” (iheart.com)
The specific honors Couric referenced are documented. President Donald Trump ordered U.S. flags flown at half‑staff through Sept. 14 “as a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk,” and the directive was echoed by multiple governors. Trump subsequently awarded Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Oct. 14, what would have been his 32nd birthday. (whitehouse.gov)
Associated Press also reported that Vice President JD Vance accompanied Kirk’s casket aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona on Sept. 11. (apnews.com)
Fetterman emphasized free‑speech principles in his conversation with Couric: “I’m an absolute free speech guy … you have the right to say these things. And you definitely also have the right not to get shot by sharing your views.” (iheart.com)
His refusal to denounce the honors aligned with remarks he has made in recent weeks about avoiding incendiary labels. On Nov. 3, during an appearance on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, Fetterman said, “I’m not gonna call you a fascist or a Nazi. I’m not gonna compare anyone to like, Hitler or anything. That’s wrong. And if you resort to that thing, you’ve lost the plot.” (foxnews.com)
Fetterman has also argued that some Democrats should cool their rhetoric about President Trump, saying on other programs that extreme comparisons can fuel violence. (realclearpolitics.com)
Separately, in a Nov. 4 interview with The Daily Wire, Fetterman said he hasn’t been hearing from Democratic colleagues and discussed how his positions on Israel, border security, and the ongoing government shutdown have sometimes aligned him with Republicans. (dailywire.com)