Hillary Clinton slams Christian conservatives on Morning Joe two weeks after Charlie Kirk assassination

Former first lady and longtime political figure Hillary Clinton criticized Christian conservatism during an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Wednesday, saying she disapproved of the ideology because it promotes division. The remarks come two weeks after the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10 at an event on a college campus in southern Utah. Clinton used the televised exchange to weigh in on the broader political landscape, linking a push for inclusive public discourse to the country’s ongoing struggle with unity.

On the program, Clinton addressed remarks from co-host Joe Scarborough about the country’s history and its endurance through slavery and the Civil War. She framed the current debate around the preservation of core democratic values, arguing that freedom of speech and the right to protest have kept the United States on a path toward progress, even if imperfect. "You know, I love my country, and I love it, you know - warts and all. And I'm proud of the fact that we have always been a work in progress. You know, we haven't gotten to the more perfect union," she said, adding that attempting to “recreate a world that never was dominated by” a specific demographic or ideology risks damage to the nation’s forward course. The comments come as the public discourse has shifted in the wake of Kirk’s death and the controversy surrounding conservative activism in the United States.

The conversation then turned to the broader Republican and conservative landscape. Clinton suggested that Christian conservatism, especially when tied to a political movement, could threaten public policy that centers on inclusive rights and scientific consensus. She also criticized Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for comments she described as moving the public back to a time when certain health practices and policies were not widely accepted, saying the era she referenced involved “not vaccinating, we're drinking raw milk, yeah, and people didn't live.” The remarks underscored her view that policy shifts should be grounded in evidence and shared public health norms rather than nostalgia for a past she characterized as unequal and exclusionary.

Clinton did offer rare praise for former President Donald Trump in the same interview after he appeared to shift his stance on the war in Ukraine. She cited a Truth Social post in which Trump argued that Ukraine is “in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” noting that she found the tone and framing noteworthy given the complexity of U.S. policy toward the conflict. The exchange reflected the ongoing dynamic within party circles as Democratic officials calibrate their messaging on foreign policy and national security while addressing internal debates about the direction of the country.

The discussion touched on how Democrats should frame the administration’s message in a political environment that has been shaped by rapid social and cultural changes, including the role of religion in politics and the challenges posed by extremist rhetoric on all sides. Clinton emphasized the importance of sustaining civil discourse, protecting voting rights, and upholding the principle that Americans should strive toward a more perfect union without sacrificing individual freedoms. While she praised certain pragmatic shifts in policy or rhetoric, she maintained that the path forward requires balancing principled leadership with the realities of a diverse nation facing ongoing crises, from public health to geopolitical tensions.

The episode adds to a broader national conversation about the influence of religious conservatism on public policy, the uses of identity in political mobilization, and the dangers of violence in political life. It also occurs against the backdrop of Kirk’s death, which has drawn attention to security concerns surrounding political activists and public figures who engage in provocative forms of advocacy. As the country processes the implications of these events, Clinton’s remarks underscore a recurring theme in U.S. politics: the tension between invoking traditional values and pursuing inclusive, evidence-based policy that can sustain broad public support.