Pentagon’s Response to Celebrations Following Kirk’s Assassination
War Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed Pentagon officials to identify army members who celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, suggesting disciplinary action may follow.
In the aftermath of the 31-year-old conservative influencer’s death on Wednesday, some online investigators found that various civil servants, including teachers and service members, had posted on social media expressing joy or laughter regarding Kirk’s assassination.
“We’re keeping a close watch on this situation. We’ll address it soon,” Hegseth mentioned on social media Thursday, labeling the behavior as “completely unacceptable.”
This response follows a statement from Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, who stressed that it’s “unacceptable for military personnel and civilians at the Department of Defense to celebrate the assassination of fellow Americans.” He further emphasized that the War Ministry maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards such actions.
Reports indicate that Hegseth has tasked staff members with tracking military individuals supporting political violence, as noted by NBC News on Friday. Already, a number of service members have faced termination due to similar posts.
However, the specific number of disciplined individuals remains unclear. Following Kirk’s assassination, a number of users on social media employed the hashtag #RevolutionAriesInTheRanks to highlight inappropriate comments from service members.
Some posts were particularly striking. For instance, one user remarked, “He got what he deserves,” while another suggested that Kirk should “be accountable” for his actions.
In a related incident, a Marine Corps recruiter was dismissed after posting on Instagram an image of Kirk, labeling him “another racist man popped out.” The recruiter has since been released from their commitments while the matter is under investigation, as stated by Colonel Austinga Legos.
Kirk was tragically shot and killed by a sniper on Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University. Authorities announced the arrest of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson on Friday.
