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.

Tucker Carlson recently broke his silence regarding the murder investigation that has captivated public attention for the past three months. In a new video statement, Carlson admitted he had refrained from making public comments due to his personal connections with several central figures involved in the unfolding drama. He expressed deep affection for the victim, Kirk, whom he had known “since he was a teenager,” and acknowledged his friendships with Candace Owens, former TPUSA staffer Blake Neff, and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk.

Carlson explained that his initial reluctance to join the public discussion stemmed from a belief that he had no more information than the public and a desire to avoid criticizing those “earnestly searching for the truth,” even if their conclusions were misguided. He emphasized the importance of honoring Kirk’s memory by backing a diligent pursuit of justice, framing any missteps in the investigation as “sincere mistakes” made in good faith.

In his statement, Carlson addressed the recent controversy sparked by a lengthy conversation with comedian Theo Von. During this discussion, Carlson’s expression of distrust toward the FBI was widely interpreted as suggesting potential involvement of individuals in Kirk’s murder. Carlson clarified that he was not accusing anyone specifically but reiterated his stance on skepticism towards the FBI, citing its “factually documented track record” of misconduct and political meddling.

Carlson highlighted the 2024 election and the events of January 6 as examples of what he described as institutional “rot.” He argued that large bureaucracies often operate independently of their leaders, even when those leaders are individuals he respects, such as FBI Director Kash Patel and former agent Dan Bongino. Carlson asserted that Americans are not morally obligated to accept government narratives unquestioningly and insisted that citizens have the “right, probably an obligation” to demand proof from agencies in significant cases like Kirk’s murder.

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) December 10, 2025

‘We Should Not Trust the FBI’

Carlson said a recent three-hour conversation with comedian Theo Von led to renewed controversy after he stated he does not trust the FBI, which some interpreted as accusing specific individuals of involvement in Kirk’s assassination. He clarified that he was not accusing anyone personally but used the moment to restate that “we should not necessarily trust the FBI,” citing what he called a “factually documented track record” of the bureau committing abuses and political interference.

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.