The Pentagon said it will not tolerate military personnel or civilian employees celebrating or mocking the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as leaders across the services and on Capitol Hill urged swift action.
"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, the assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs and the Pentagon's chief spokesman, wrote on X, a post that was shared by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. "We are tracking all these very closely — and will address immediately. Completely unacceptable."
Leaders of individual services issued similar warnings. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said employees who "bring discredit upon the Department, the @USNavy or the @USMC will be dealt with swiftly and decisively," adding he was "aware of posts displaying contempt toward a fellow American who was assassinated." Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the service was aware of "inappropriate comments concerning recent political violence" and called such behavior "unacceptable and contrary to our core values." Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said posts that celebrate or mock the assassination are "inconsistent with Army values. Full stop."
The statements follow widespread online commentary after Kirk's killing on a college campus, which has prompted heightened security concerns among lawmakers and a series of responses from elected officials. Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin responded to Phelan's post with a social-media message threatening to seek the secretary's ouster if the Navy did not "take prompt, direct, and decisive action to clear the ranks of this s[---] from my Navy." Van Orden added that those in the service who do not comply could "find a job somewhere else" and signed the message "SOCS (Ret) Van Orden." He later arrived at the Capitol for congressional business.
Pentagon officials did not provide details about specific investigations or disciplinary actions in response to the posts. Parnell's notice and the service secretaries' comments indicate senior leaders are monitoring social-media activity by service members and civilian employees and are prepared to use administrative or punitive measures where warranted.
The assassination of Kirk has drawn attention from national political leaders and raised questions about security for public figures and on college campuses. The episode has also intensified scrutiny of service members' conduct online at a time when the armed forces emphasize apolitical professionalism.
Pentagon officials said they will continue to review reported incidents and take appropriate action. Congressional offices and military commands have been in contact about security and conduct since the killing, and several lawmakers have called for quick and decisive responses to any confirmed violations of military regulations governing conduct and speech.
Officials and lawmakers urged any service members who see or engage in such commentary to remember the military's codes of conduct and the potential consequences of behavior that could bring discredit upon their service. The Pentagon's public statements stressed that celebrating political violence is inconsistent with the obligations of uniformed service and civilian employees in the Defense Department.