Elizabeth Warren says killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO was a warning: 'You can only push people so far'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in interviews this week that the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was wrong but also served as a "warning" of sorts that "you can only push people so far."

"The visceral response from people across this country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practices of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the health care system," Warren said. 

"Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far," she added. "This is a warning that if you push people hard enough, they lose faith in the ability of their government to make change, lose faith in the ability of the people who are providing the health care to make change, and start to take matters into their own hands in ways that will ultimately be a threat to everyone."

Far-left MSNBC host Joy Reid suggested to Warren on Tuesday that Thompson's killing wasn't the way for those fed up with the health insurance system to create change, seeming to say it was poor strategy.

"You have to regulate them," Reid said.

Warren's explanation of the killing drew sharp criticism from conservatives and eventually prompted a walkback.

"This statement invents a non-existent connection between the insane murderer and United Healthcare, which did not push this rich kid to do anything, even accidentally," Billy Gribbin, the communications director for GOP Utah Sen. Mike Lee, wrote on X. "He went crazy and killed someone."

Warren clarified her remarks on Wednesday, according to HuffPost.

"Violence is never the answer. Period," she said. "I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder."