UC Irvine lecturer faces scrutiny over alleged comments regarding Nick Shirley

Matthew Goldman, a lecturer at the University of California, Irvine and Chapman University, is facing scrutiny following social media comments allegedly directed at conservative journalist Nick Shirley. The remarks were made in the comments section of an Instagram post by the Harvard Republican Club promoting Shirley’s upcoming appearance.

In the posts, Goldman reportedly wrote, “Someone can do the funniest thing just before the Kirkiversary.” Critics suggest this is a reference to the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, which occurred on September 10, 2025. The timing of the comment coincides with the one-year anniversary of Kirk’s death. Goldman also allegedly posted a comment stating, “Lmao abolish ICE. only good ICE agent is a dead one.”

Additional screenshots shared by Yard Report suggest Goldman previously shared a post featuring a Mario character pointing a gun at the late UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Following the controversy, Goldman’s social media accounts have been set to private, and his biography page has reportedly been removed from the UC Irvine website.