Vice-President JD Vance urged listeners to report to employers anyone who celebrated the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, saying those posts are uncivil and should prompt accountability.
Speaking while guest-hosting an episode of the Charlie Kirk Show, Vance said Monday that Americans should "call them out, and hell, call their employer," and added that "we don't believe in political violence, but we do believe in civility." His remarks came after Kirk, a prominent conservative influencer, was shot in the neck last Wednesday while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University.
Vance, a close ally of Kirk and the vice-presidential running mate of former President Donald Trump, said left-leaning Americans were "much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence," appearing to reference a YouGov poll that showed some liberal respondents expressed greater willingness than conservatives to feel joy about the deaths of political opponents. Vance added, "there is no civility in the celebration of political assassination."
The shooting has prompted a series of employer and institutional responses to social media posts that celebrated Kirk's injury or advocated violent sentiments. Pilots, medical professionals, teachers and at least one Secret Service employee were among those suspended, placed on leave or dismissed after online comments about the incident drew public attention.
The Secret Service confirmed one employee, identified in internal correspondence as Anthony Pough, had his security clearance revoked after social media posts that condemned Kirk and suggested divine retribution. Secret Service Director James M. Curran wrote in a memo to staff that politically motivated attacks are increasing and urged personnel not to exacerbate the problem, saying the agency's workforce "must be focused on being the solution, not adding to the problem."
Private employers have also acted. Office Depot said it fired employees at a Michigan branch after a viral video showed staff refusing to print posters for a vigil for Kirk, calling the behavior "completely unacceptable and insensitive" and in violation of company policy.
Colleges and universities have taken disciplinary steps as well. Clemson University said it fired one employee and placed two professors on leave for what it described as inappropriate social media posts related to Kirk's shooting. In Canada, the University of Toronto placed a professor on leave after posts that appeared to approve of violence were publicized.
The personnel actions have sparked debate over free speech and workplace protections. Critics argue that public calls to report or punish individuals for their online speech amount to politically motivated censorship or "cancel culture." Supporters of the employer actions say private companies and institutions have broad discretion to discipline employees under "at-will" employment rules.
Legal experts say the First Amendment does not bar private employers from taking action against employees for social media comments. Steven Collis, a professor of law at the University of Texas at Austin, noted that constitutional free-speech protections generally limit government action, not the decisions of private companies. "The First Amendment protects against government restrictions on speech, not private employer discipline," he said.
Other observers warned that political pressure could chill speech in publicly funded institutions. Risa Lieberwitz, director of the Worker Institute at Cornell University, said public calls by high-profile figures to punish employees could risk infringing on academic freedom or create a climate of fear. "This reflects the kind of fear that exists now in the United States from retaliation by the Trump administration for not adhering to their political agenda," she said, adding that employers may be reacting out of concern for public backlash if they fail to act.
The controversy has drawn partisan responses from other Republican officials. Florida Rep. Randy Fine posted on X that he would "demand their firing, defunding, and license revocation" for those celebrating Kirk's death, while South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace urged the Department of Education to cut funding to any institutions that refuse to discipline staff who made what she called insensitive posts.
Kirk, who founded the conservative activist group Turning Point USA and built a large social media following, was a polarizing figure whose viewpoints on gender, race and abortion drew criticism on college campuses and among liberal commentators. The suspect in the shooting has been linked to the scene by DNA evidence, the FBI has said, and remains under investigation.
The cascade of employer actions and public calls for punishment underscore the heightened tensions in American political discourse and the reach of social media into employment decisions. Professional and academic organizations have pushed back on some of the firings: the American Association of University Professors said academic freedom should be protected and not curtailed under political pressure.
As institutions weigh disciplinary measures, legal and labor advocates say outcomes will continue to vary based on employer policies, the content of individual posts, the public reaction they generate and whether the employer is a private or government-affiliated entity. The incident has renewed questions about the balance between free expression, professional standards and the responsibilities of public figures and institutions in an era of polarized, often instantaneous public commentary.