Isa Casahuga, the University of Texas at San Antonio student who went viral after reciting a poem mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination, has released an apology video. The apology arrived Friday night after the September 23 Turning Point USA campus event sparked widespread criticism.
In the video, posted and amplified by Brian Atlas of the Whatever podcast, Casahuga sits facing the camera and delivers a prepared statement. She says she spent time in prayer and reflection before apologizing to Erika Kirk and her children, Christian Collins, and anyone else she “may have hurt.” She also says political violence is never acceptable.
That delivery quickly became part of the controversy. Many viewers said Casahuga appeared to be reading from a script or teleprompter, pointing to her darting eyes and highly polished wording. Others questioned whether the statement came from Casahuga, her parents, or artificial intelligence. The internet, of course, has never met a facial expression it could not analyze like a congressional hearing.
In the apology, Casahuga stated: “My name is Isa Casahuga, and after much prayer and reflection, I’d like to come out and sincerely apologize for the comments I made on September 23, 2026, at the University of Texas at San Antonio. First, I’d like to directly apologize to Miss Erika Kirk, her children, and the entire Kirk family. My words were deeply insensitive, to say the least, particularly considering the unfathomable loss your family has experienced. I’d also like to apologize directly to Mr. Christian Collins. Mr. Collins, what I said at your Pick Up The Mic rally was beyond inappropriate and hurtful, and for that, I am so sorry. Lastly, I would also like to apologize to everyone that I may have hurt with my comments that day. There is nothing acceptable or funny about political violence and even less the loss of a person’s life. Regardless of our political beliefs or opinions, we should all strive to treat one another with the utmost respect, compassion, and above all, dignity. I understand why my words caused so much pain and I take full responsibility for them. My faith teaches me the importance of humility, compassion, and above all, forgiveness, and I recognize that my words did not reflect those values on September 23. I want to be better going forward, not only as a Christian and as a person, but as an American. I know that an apology cannot undo what I said and I don’t expect everyone to forgive me after this, but I sincerely hope that through my actions I can learn from this experience and ultimately earn a second chance in life. Thank you.”
Atlas was not impressed by the religious language in the statement. In a follow-up post, he wrote: “Citing John 8:7-11 ‘let him who is without sin cast the first stone’ in an apology is super insincere. Instead of taking ownership, she uses scripture to deflect accountability by pointing out everyone else’s flaws, silence critics, and demand immediate forgiveness. A genuine apology focuses on the harm done, not shielding the person who did it.”
The original incident took place at a TPUSA event where Casahuga introduced herself as “Pamper Baby.” She said she had taken a Plan B, was an immigrant, and felt “kind of guilty” before reading her poem about the “Kirkiversary.” She also told Collins he was “brave” for appearing without his neck covered.
Collins later described the encounter in a post, writing: “At @UTSA for Pick Up the Mic, a student read a poem celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk with such glee, then told me I was brave to be out here without my neck covered. I told her I’d pray for her. This is the climate. We pick up the mic anyway.”
Casahuga’s apology says she knows her words cannot be undone and that she does not expect immediate forgiveness. That is the sensible part of the message. People can believe in second chances while still expecting accountability, especially when the original comments involved political violence and a grieving family.
Whether viewers accept the apology will depend less on a carefully prepared video than on what Casahuga does next. A polished statement can acknowledge harm, but it cannot erase it. For now, the apology has not ended the controversy. It has simply given critics a new question to debate: whether the words sound like genuine remorse or another performance for the camera.
