Charlie Kirk has expressed highly critical views about the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In a December 2023 speech at America Fest, he said, "We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s." He argued that the Act created what he called a "permanent DEI-type bureaucracy" and led to weak courts that erode First Amendment protections. Kirk views the Civil Rights Act as having negative bureaucratic and cultural consequences rather than opposing the principle of racial equality itself. He also said federal courts treat the Civil Rights Act almost like the Constitution, which he criticized as undermining the First Amendment. His comments represent a broader agenda to undermine the legacy of civil rights legislation and Martin Luther King Jr., whom he has disparaged publicly.

In summary, Kirk’s position is that while the Civil Rights Act had good intentions, its long-term effects, particularly related to government bureaucracy and judicial rulings, have been harmful in his view. This has been controversial and seen by many as dismissive of the historical importance of the Act.