Controversy Surrounds Leaked Messages from Slain TPUSA Founder
On Monday, Andrew Corbett, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA (TPUSA), stated that he had sent private messages from the organization’s late founder, Charlie Kirk, to Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). The messages, later shared by podcaster Candace Owens, revealed Kirk’s frustrations with Jewish donors and pro-Israel advocates shortly before his assassination on September 10.
During an appearance on “The Charlie Kirk Show,” Corbett acknowledged sharing a group chat with Kirk but was cautious in asserting that Kent was directly responsible for leaking the information to Owens. “We’re not trying to cast blame here recklessly,” he noted, emphasizing the need for transparency. “In the spirit of looking at every lead and turning over every stone, we wanted to ensure everyone who needed to know had access to what we knew.”
Blake Neff, a producer for “The Charlie Kirk Show,” mentioned that the messages have fueled conspiracy theories suggesting that Kirk’s death was orchestrated by Israelis or Jewish individuals. Both Corbett and Neff, however, clarified that they do not endorse such theories.
“We provided all the information we could,” Corbett stated. He made it clear that they were uncertain about what happened to the messages after being shared with Kent. “Can we be 100% certain that he leaked the information? No,” he admitted, acknowledging the ambiguous nature of the situation.
Corbett revealed that Kent had pushed for the messages to be disclosed, but he hesitated, citing the private nature of group chats and the potential impact on innocent parties. “I said no. Then they were published,” he explained, leaving open the possibility that someone else could have leaked the texts.
Reports have surfaced that Kent is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly leaking classified information. Corbett expressed that the leak was a significant betrayal, stating they had lost a major $2 million-a-year donor due to their unwillingness to distance themselves from Tucker Carlson, whom Kirk mentioned in his messages.
Kent, when appearing on “The Megyn Kelly Show,” asserted his innocence regarding the leak. “I’m not worried because I know I did nothing wrong,” he stated. He did express concern over the scrutiny faced by those who speak out, but remained confident in the facts supporting his position.
