Sen. Ted Cruz pushed back on CNN’s Kaitlan Collins maintaining that law enforcement has not officially declared a “motive” for the assassination of Charlie Kirk during an argument Tuesday night. Cruz held his ground so strongly that he produced an “I’m the one asking the questions here” from the CNN host.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN: You said a lot there. And we don’t have a motive yet. We don’t know yet. We’re waiting. Obviously, we’ve heard what the Governor’s had to say, what the FBI director said today. CRUZ: Of course, we know. But come on, we don’t have a motive yet? Really? That’s CNN’s position? COLLINS: I mean from law enforcement, Senator. CRUZ: He just happened to fire the gun in celebration. You can’t tell the motive yet? COLLINS: Senator, that’s not what I said. And I said law enforcement hasn’t laid out a direct motive. They’ve laid out a lot of evidence here, of these messages and what he should have said to family members and to roommates. CRUZ: Actually, they have. They’ve said that he was a left-wing activist who hated Charlie Kirk. COLLINS: Senator, with all due respect, you know exactly what I’m saying. I’m not arguing with you politically. I’m saying that law enforcement has not put a specific motive. You know that there’s a difference of what they’re pointing in a legal argument than what you’re talking about. CRUZ: They have. That statement is false. Facts — hold on a second. Let me answer your statement, because what you said is factually false. COLLINS: With all due respect, you’re — you are putting a lot of statements that I did not say. CRUZ: So, you don’t want facts. OK. Go ahead. Go ahead. Give your speech. COLLINS: We just laid out the facts in the opening of this show, what we learned from prosecutors today. CRUZ: OK. You just said law enforcement has not laid out a motive. That is objectively false and CNN should not be engaged in misinformation. COLLINS: They have not said a concrete motive of exactly what it was. It’s not misinformation, Senator. You– CRUZ: Have you seen the polling that shows the vast majority of the Democrats believe this murderer is a Republican and a Trump supporter? Have you seen that polling? COLLINS: Let me get back to my questions, though, Senator, because the question here was actually what you were saying about investigations that you’d like to see– CRUZ: So, you’re not going to answer the question. COLLINS: Senator, I’m the one asking the questions here. CRUZ: No, we were having a conversation. I understand that you want to say things that are factually false and then you don’t actually want the facts — you don’t actually want the facts laid out. COLLINS: Do you believe that right-wing groups also need to be investigated? CRUZ: OK, give your speech. Tell me — go ahead– COLLINS: That’s not true, Senator. I’m asking you a question. CRUZ: I don’t know what your question is, because we have a delay because you’re in England, so I can’t hear what you’re saying. COLLINS: You said that you believe that left-wing groups should be investigated. You want to know where the financing is coming from for protests. Do you believe that they should also be looking into right- wing groups as well? Or do you believe it should only be limited to that? CRUZ: Look, I believe anyone engaged in acts of violence should be prosecuted and go to jail. But I will say, there has been an enormous amount, and CNN has been guilty of this, of both-sides-ism, of saying, Gosh, both sides are violent. And understand, yes, there is some violence on both sides, but it is the left that overwhelmingly celebrates this. It is leftists that have been celebrating. You look at Bluesky, and it is a cesspool of leftists celebrating the murder of Charlie Kirk. You look at recent polling that shows over 50 percent of Democrats saying, violence against Elon Musk is justified, violence against Donald Trump is justified. You look at Democrats, who do things like what Kamala Harris did, of giving money and urging people to give money to bail out violent rioters in Antifa riots. It is only one side that justifies this violent — violence. My view is, if you commit acts of violence, you should be prosecuted. And so, yes, we should follow the money. Anyone funding acts of violence, we should go after. But this is a left-wing problem.
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