NewsNation host Chris Cuomo took aim at Democrats and progressive commentators Thursday, blasting their claims that the political left is less violent than the right in the wake of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination, as reported by The Independent Journal Review.

Cuomo used his podcast, The Chris Cuomo Project, to argue that such assertions amounted to little more than “clickbait” and ignored the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s killing.

“This game of the battle to the bottom of which side is worse — you guys are literally debating who’s more violent, the right or the left,” Cuomo said. He continued by quoting arguments made in recent days:

“‘There is no statistical evidence that the left is anywhere near as violent in politics. The ADL [Anti-Defamation League], everybody’ — that’s your argument? Right after Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck by a guy who thought he was standing up for his trans lover? He just shot him in the neck.”

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Cuomo accused left-leaning voices of ignoring the facts of the case in order to shift blame.

“You’re going to make the case that it’s all about the right? How stupid do you have to be? It’s not about stupidity. It’s about convenience. You’re so desperate for clickbait. You’re so desperate to be relevant, to be in the mix that you say whatever is going to get you the clicks. Change the game. Change the game,” he said.

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The comments came as Democrats continued to point to right-wing extremism in the aftermath of Kirk’s September 10 assassination. The Anti-Defamation League has long maintained that right-wing extremists are tied to most extremist-related killings in the United States.

Authorities identified the suspected assassin as Tyler Robinson, who prosecutors said carried out the attack for political reasons.

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray stated on September 16 that Robinson’s parents described him as having become “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented” in recent years.

According to text messages disclosed by investigators, Robinson told his partner, a trans-identifying male named Lance Twiggs, that he had “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred.” He later informed Twiggs of his plan to surrender to police, writing, “You are all I worry about, love.”

Robinson faces charges including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child.

Prosecutors said Robinson targeted Kirk because of his “political expression,” an aggravating factor that could increase sentencing penalties.

Even outlets traditionally aligned with the left have documented the rise in left-wing violence.

The Atlantic reported Tuesday that far-left extremists have accounted for five terrorist attacks or attempted attacks so far in 2025, placing the year on track to become the most violent for the political left in more than three decades.

The magazine’s review of 750 political attacks between 1994 and July 2025 found left-wing incidents now outnumber those committed by the political right.