Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a strong rebuke Thursday against military service members who posted messages online justifying or celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Hegseth said those involved would be dealt with “immediately.”
Following Kirk’s killing on Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, several current service members and other public officials drew backlash for their online reactions.
Among them was a Navy petty officer with a large TikTok following, who shared a video to his 1.5 million followers mocking the death.
In another case, an Army public affairs official wrote on social media, “if you talk sh*t, you’re gonna get hit.”
The remarks quickly circulated across media outlets, including Breitbart News, drawing condemnation from senior officials.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell addressed the issue directly, writing on X: “It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American. The Department of War has zero tolerance for it.”
It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American.
The Department of War has zero tolerance for it.
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) September 11, 2025
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Hegseth followed with a statement of his own, promising swift accountability.
“We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately,” he said.
“Completely unacceptable.”
We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable. https://t.co/9weALT5Pb7
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) September 11, 2025
Reports have also pointed to additional public figures and officials who made light of Kirk’s death, including a Secret Service agent, a Democratic city councilman in Florida, multiple public school teachers, journalists, and doctors.
The comments have fueled calls for disciplinary action and raised broader questions about public servants using their platforms to respond to acts of political violence.
Kirk, 31, was shot in the neck while speaking to students as part of his campus debate series.
He was about 20 minutes into the event when a sniper’s bullet struck him, causing chaos inside the university auditorium as students and attendees rushed for safety.
Security teams immediately evacuated Kirk and transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Kirk’s assassination has drawn reactions across the political spectrum, with allies and opponents acknowledging his national prominence as the co-founder of Turning Point USA.
The organization, which he launched in 2012, grew into a powerful conservative network with chapters on campuses across the country.
The Department of War’s public commitment to discipline personnel who engaged in celebratory posts marks one of the first official responses to the fallout from the assassination.
Officials have not disclosed the specific actions being taken but stressed that both uniformed service members and civilian employees will be held accountable for conduct on social media.
Hegseth’s statement underscores heightened tensions within the military and government institutions as the nation continues to process the killing of a high-profile conservative figure.
The investigation into Kirk’s death remains ongoing, with federal and state authorities urging anyone with information to contact the FBI.
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