War Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed Pentagon officials to locate and discipline members of the military who celebrated or mocked the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, saying such conduct is "completely unacceptable." The order came as investigators and online researchers flagged social media posts by public employees, educators and some service members that appeared to gloat over Kirk’s death.
Hegseth wrote on X on Thursday that the Pentagon was "tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately." His post followed a tweet from Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell saying it is "unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American" and asserting the department has "zero tolerance for it."
According to NBC News, Hegseth tasked staffers with identifying any service members or individuals associated with the department who appeared to condone the act of political violence so they could be fired. Several service members have already been terminated over posts, the outlet reported; the Pentagon has not released a complete tally or detailed personnel actions.
In the days after Kirk’s slaying, users on X and other platforms flagged posts under the hashtag #RevolutionariesintheRanks that they said showed military personnel celebrating the killing. Some of the shared messages included statements such as "Kirk got what he deserves period" and descriptions of the murder as Kirk being "held accountable." The authenticity and context of every post identified by online sleuths were not independently verified by military officials.
A Marine Corps recruiter was removed from recruiting duties on Thursday after an Instagram post showing an image of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk with the caption "Another racist man popped," Capt. Austin Gallegos told Task & Purpose. The Marine Corps said the service member has been relieved of recruiting duties and that the matter is under investigation.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed Wednesday while hosting an event at Utah Valley University. Authorities announced the arrest of a 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, on Friday. Federal and local investigators are leading the criminal probe into the shooting as campus officials and law enforcement review security and response measures at the event.
Officials across federal agencies have emphasized that personnel may face administrative or criminal consequences for endorsing or celebrating political violence. Military regulations prohibit conduct that discredits the armed forces or violates standards of behavior, and commanders can take administrative actions including relief from duties, separations and punitive measures when service members' off-duty conduct undermines discipline or public trust.
The wave of social media posts has drawn scrutiny for the potential involvement of public-sector employees beyond the military. Reports of teachers, professors and other officials posting remarks that appeared to celebrate the killing prompted calls from some lawmakers and public advocates for swift disciplinary action and for institutions to review social-media policies.
As officials continue to identify and investigate troubling posts, the Pentagon and other departments face pressure to balance prompt accountability with due process and verification of online claims. Hegseth’s directive marks a public, centralized push by the Pentagon to address the immediate reputational and disciplinary fallout from the online reaction to a high-profile political killing.
Kirk’s death has intensified debate about political rhetoric, campus security and the responsibilities of public employees online. Investigations into the shooting and into the online conduct of military and civilian personnel remain ongoing.