Michael Mann Resigns from UPenn Following Controversial Remarks

Michael Mann, a climate scientist, has resigned from his position at the University of Pennsylvania after a backlash from a provocative social media post that came in the wake of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

In his post, Mann referred to the killing as “white to white violence” and made several incendiary comments about Kirk, whom he labeled as “Trump’s Hitler youth head.” Although he later attempted to clarify his remarks, Mann ultimately decided to step back from his role as an advocate for climate policy and science.

In a statement on his personal website, Mann expressed that he felt torn between his advocacy work and the nonpartisan stance expected of him at a university that promotes neutrality. He noted, “I don’t feel like I can throw away the public scholarships and advocacy I am doing, especially at this point.”

Neither Mann nor the University of Pennsylvania responded to inquiries from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

In the wake of his initial comments, Mann deleted several of his reposts, stating he had “overlooked” the implications of the language used. He added that he did not support the inflammatory terms describing Kirk and acknowledged his misstep.

Mann had previously faced legal scrutiny for providing misleading information in a case involving his conservative critics. Kirk, known for engaging with students about various contentious issues, was murdered during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Reports indicated that his killer had been influenced by “indoctrinated leftist ideology.”

This incident adds Mann to a growing list of educators and administrators who have faced repercussions for their comments regarding Kirk’s death.