The shocking murder of conservative figure Charlie Kirk has sent ripples through the online far-right, where many are taking shots at FBI Director Kash Patel. They criticize him for what they see as a mishandling of the investigation and his strange comments about Viking heaven.
This uproar follows a press conference where Patel announced the arrest of Tyler Robinson, 22, who is suspected of killing Kirk on a university campus in Salt Lake City. During the event, Patel made bold statements while Utah’s governor, Spencer Cox, looked on.
“This is what happens when you let good cops be cops,” Patel stated, despite a lack of clarity surrounding the investigation, leading to pressure from the White House and queries about his abilities. He added, “The FBI and our partners are proud to stand here today together to bring justice to the family of Charlie Kirk and honor his memory.”
Related: One Wild Day of Gun Violence in America
Yet, it was undoubtedly the odd conclusion of his remarks where he mentioned Valhalla—a mythical warrior paradise—that drew attention from online extremists. “Lastly, to my friend Charlie Kirk, rest now, brother,” Patel emotionally concluded. “We have the watch, and I’ll see you in Valhalla.” This remark raised a few eyebrows, especially considering Kirk’s devout Christian faith.
Many internet users on platforms like Telegram and 4chan had a field day with this. One poster quipped, “Hindu FBI Director tells assassinated Christian that he will see him in Valhalla. OK then.” Another group banded together to mock Patel’s mention of Valhalla and jokingly saluted him during the press conference.
In the days leading up to Robinson’s identification, memes ridiculing Patel’s oversight surfaced on social media. One picture depicted him as a contestant on the game show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,’ choosing from absurd answers, like “Shit on the street,” suggesting he was out of his depth on the case.
Over at 4chan, the reception was even harsher. Users called out his blunders, scrutinizing him for rambling at the press conference and vaguely hinting at misidentifying the shooter. They were keen on pointing out a huge error when Patel claimed the FBI had caught the suspect merely hours after the shooting, a statement that quickly unraveled and became high-profile ammo for critics. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin labeled it as “amateur hour,” putting Patel’s credibility on blast.
There’s a complicated relationship between Patel and the far-right. While some cheer him as a diehard supporter of former President Trump, others throw out nasty racial slurs that ignite controversy, especially given Patel is the son of Indian immigrants. Many right-wing critics now wield Kirk’s death (someone they saw as moderate) as part of their strategy to paint leftists in an even worse light.
Professional analyst Joshua Fisher-Birch pointed out that the criticisms of Patel bubbled in online spaces filled with hate. Reckless remarks aimed at Patel have mixed with calls for revenge against left-leaning individuals following Kirk’s passing even before the identity of the assassin was confirmed.
For instance, some neo-Nazi influencers claimed Kirk’s death signified the end for the moderate right. “The moderate right died today,” asserted one infamous channel on Telegram, with others flaunting notions of more firearm usage in American political discourse, evoking a troubling future.
Fisher-Birch concluded that while Patel presented himself as a figure of strength, many radicals are leveraging Kirk’s death to spread their narrative and increase recruitment for extremist movements.
