An active duty U.S. Secret Service agent is among a growing number of individuals under scrutiny for social media posts celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday morning while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Anthony Pough, identified as a current Secret Service agent, wrote on social media: “If you are mourning this guy… delete me. He spewed hate and racism on his show.”
His comments were reported by RealClearPolitics journalist Susan Crabtree.
Pough added, “Especially when we should be mourning the innocent children killed in Colorado,” referencing a separate incident in Jefferson County, Colorado that took place about an hour after Kirk’s assassination.
SCOOP:@DHSgov source tells me now that Anthony Pough, the current US @SecretService agent who mocked the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Facebook today, has been put on administrative leave and he is now facing termination.
He said Charlie’s murder was KARMA.
Keep sending… https://t.co/2W20XjUXS5 pic.twitter.com/vOREII43S4
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) September 11, 2025
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In that case, a 16-year-old student opened fire at a school, wounding two classmates before taking his own life. The shooter was the only fatality.
The Secret Service agent continued his post with another statement: “At the end of the day, you answer to GOD and speak things into existence.
You can only circumvent karma, she doesn’t leave.” Pough was referring to a widely circulated video that had been deceptively edited to make it appear that Kirk questioned whether black women had functioning brains.
The posts sparked immediate concern given Pough’s active duty status in the Secret Service, an agency tasked with protecting high-profile political figures, including the President.
Officials have not commented on any disciplinary actions at this time.
Other federal employees have also been identified in connection with similar online comments.
Terri Pinkham Vandemark, who identifies as a data analytics specialist at the Department of Justice, shared a post suggesting that Kirk’s views on the Second Amendment made him responsible for his own death.
An individual who appears to be an active duty Marine Corps recruiter also celebrated the assassination online, writing that “another racist man” had been “popped,” followed by a celebratory emoji.
The responses were not confined to federal personnel.
In higher education, Catherine Sawars, an adjunct professor of literature at American University, posted on the social media platform Bluesky that she did not sympathize with Kirk’s children.
“I just saw a very thoughtful insta post from someone who has unimpeachable politics, but i had to stop listening when he mentioned the kids. there’s a lot of children i feel bad for, but i can’t bring myself to feel bad for these,” Sawars wrote.
“They lived with an abuser. He might have raised them to be killers.”
A significant number of celebratory reactions have also come from public school teachers across multiple states.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered investigations into any teacher found to have publicly celebrated Kirk’s death.
“We will hold teachers who choose to make disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk accountable. Govern yourselves accordingly,” the state’s education commissioner said in a press release.
The wave of celebratory posts has already led to dozens of firings in the private sector, according to multiple reports.
Employers acted swiftly after several workers were identified as making comments condoning or mocking Kirk’s assassination.
Hearing word that Michael Todd, a High School teacher in Oklahoma has been FIRED for these social media posts about Charlie Kirk. Keep going! pic.twitter.com/iq15K93CWB
— captive dreamer (@avaricum777) September 11, 2025
Kirk, 31, was a nationally recognized conservative activist and commentator who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012.
His assassination has drawn widespread condemnation, and investigations are ongoing into both the shooting and the fallout over reactions to his death.
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