ZDF Journalist admits Error in Reporting on Charlie Kirk, Right-Wing Activist Killed in Utah
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Berlin/Washington D.C. – A firestorm of criticism erupted after ZDF correspondent Elmar Theveßen falsely attributed inflammatory statements to the late Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old right-wing activist who was fatally shot in Utah earlier this month. Now,theveßen has publicly acknowledged his mistake and issued an apology.
“What I said,he didn’t say that way. Therefore it was wrong, and that’s why I apologize,” Theveßen stated on the ZDF podcast “Der Trump-Effekt,” as first reported by the German news portal Nius.
The day following the shooting of the Trump supporter, Theveßen claimed Kirk had stated, “Homosexuals should be stoned.” He now admits this was a misrepresentation. “It was, firstly, truncated, and through that truncation, it was false,” he explained.
[Image of Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk with caption: US President Donald Trump (79) had a supporter in Charlie Kirk (†31, r.). The activist was shot at an event on a university campus in the US state of utah on September 10th. Photo: picture alliance/AP Images]
Theveßen Attributes Error to “Self-Assurance”
The out-of-context clip of Kirk’s statement circulated widely on social media.In reality, Kirk was discussing a biblical passage prescribing the death penalty for male same-sex relations – in order to illustrate the dangers of taking scripture literally. He was responding to a question about whether the Bible’s commandment to love one’s neighbor implied acceptance of same-sex relationships.
Theveßen’s apology included a degree of self-criticism. “I misrepresented it.that may have something to do with having a certain self-assurance in the situation,” he conceded.
Theveßen Aligns with Kirk’s Widow’s Message of Forgiveness
The ZDF journalist also expressed his emotional response to the memorial service for Charlie Kirk. “And the widow said there, the answer to hate is not hate. The answer is love.”
This admission comes amidst heightened scrutiny of media accuracy, notably when reporting on politically charged events and figures. The