Tucker Carlson has broken months of near-silence on the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, urging Americans to remain skeptical of the FBI’s handling of the case while affirming two explosive factual claims raised by commentator Candace Owens about Egyptian-registered aircraft and foreign cell phones linked to the killing.

In a recent video message, Carlson expressed his reluctance to publicly comment on the murder inquiry surrounding Kirk’s death, which has unfolded over the past three months. He attributed his silence to his personal ties with several key individuals now caught up in the controversy. Kirk, whom Carlson cherished and had known since his youth, is among them. He also mentioned his acquaintance and respect for Candace Owens, former TPUSA staffer Blake Neff, and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.

Initially, Carlson chose to refrain from entering the public discourse, as he felt his knowledge on the matter didn’t surpass that of the general public. Moreover, he hesitated to criticize those earnestly seeking the truth about the assassination, even if their conclusions were flawed. Carlson emphasized that a genuine, albeit misguided, inquiry shouldn’t be faulted. His primary intention, he explained, was to honor Kirk’s memory by advocating for a thorough pursuit of justice.

To view Tucker Carlson’s complete statement, see below:

A recent extensive dialogue with comedian Theo Von rekindled controversy following Carlson’s remarks about his mistrust of the FBI, which some interpreted as suggesting specific individuals were involved in Kirk’s murder. Carlson clarified that he wasn’t pointing fingers at anyone in particular but seized the opportunity to reiterate his stance that “trust in the FBI should not be automatic.” He cited the agency’s “well-documented history” of misconduct and political meddling as the foundation for his skepticism.

Carlson highlighted events like the 2024 election and the January 6 incident as evidence of corruption within significant institutions. He argued that expansive bureaucracies might operate independently of their leaders, even those he respects, such as FBI Director Kash Patel and former agent Dan Bongino. He asserted that Americans are under no moral obligation to accept government narratives blindly and insisted that citizens possess “a right, perhaps even a duty,” to challenge agencies to substantiate their claims in critical cases like Kirk’s murder.

‘We Should Not Trust the FBI’

According to Carlson, the primary shortcoming in the ongoing Kirk investigation is the diminishing demand for proof. He cautioned against allowing “our largest federal law enforcement entity to evade accountability” as public discourse devolves into infighting and speculative debates. Carlson insisted that the FBI’s responsibility is “to uncover the truth and inform the public,” rather than concealing behind claims of confidentiality, national security, or undisclosed sources.

He pointed to the 2024 election and the handling of January 6 as evidence of “rot” inside major institutions and argued that large bureaucracies can act independently of their nominal leadership, even when that leadership includes people he respects such as FBI Director Kash Patel and former agent Dan Bongino. Carlson said no American has a moral duty to accept government narratives at face value and insisted citizens have “a right, probably an obligation” to demand that agencies prove their claims in major cases like Kirk’s assassination.

Demanding Transparency in the Kirk Case

Carlson argued that the central failure in the Kirk investigation so far is the erosion of that demand for proof, warning that “we are potentially letting our largest federal law enforcement agency off the hook” as public debate shifts to infighting and theory battles. He said it is the FBI’s job “to find out what happened and to tell the rest of us,” not hide behind claims of secrecy, national security, or confidential sources.

According to Carlson, if the FBI does not fully explain and substantiate its findings, “new explanations fill the vacuum,” fueling speculation and distrust. He said he intends to avoid stating more than he actually knows about the case out of respect for Kirk and the gravity of the crime, but he insisted that “the rest of us should remain skeptical” and “should not be ashamed” of that skepticism while the federal government’s public case remains incomplete.

Backing Owens’ Claims on Egyptian Aircraft and Phones

On Theo Von’s podcast, Carlson directly addressed two specific claims by Candace Owens that have become a flashpoint in the larger debate over Kirk’s assassination. He said Owens’ report that “Egyptian registered aircraft were following Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, around for a number of years in different places in the world” is “factually true,” calling it “one of the weirdest things” he has ever heard and stressing that he has “literally no idea” what it means.

Tucker Carlson confirms Candace Owens’ claim that Egyptian-registered aircraft were following Erika Kirk for years.

“That’s one of the weirdest things I’ve ever heard, and I just want to say, that is factually true.” pic.twitter.com/a53SoeMblk

— National File (@NationalFile) December 11, 2025

Carlson further confirmed Owens’ assertion that there was “a disproportionately large number of foreign registered cell phones” at the event where Kirk was shot and killed, adding that this second data point is also “true,” even though he cannot say what it proves. He emphasized that these facts, taken together, impose “a moral and legal obligation” on the FBI to “look in every direction and to be open-minded” about leads and possibilities in the case, rather than narrowing prematurely to a single narrative.

Journalism, Science and Real Investigation

Carlson used those confirmed data points to outline what he described as the proper method for serious inquiry, arguing that real investigations in “journalism and science” work the same way as honest law enforcement. He said investigators should acknowledge when they do not know the answer, then “sift through everything as open-mindedly” and honestly as possible to “get to what the truth is,” calling that shared process “science,” “law enforcement,” “journalism” and “justice” all at once.

He closed by saying he wants to make sure that kind of rigorous, open-ended investigation is actually happening in the Kirk case but that he does not “have a ton of confidence in the FBI or the men who run it.” While he pledged to keep his own public statements within the limits of what he knows first-hand, he insisted that ordinary Americans must continue to push for answers in Charlie Kirk’s assassination and refuse to accept less than full transparency from the federal government.