Pentagon head Pete Hegseth is instructing staff to find and identify anyone associated with the Department of War who is mocking or condoning Charlie Kirk’s death.
Many people have been disciplined or fired across industries for mocking the commentator’s sudden death.
“We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable,” Hegseth said in response to Pentagon Assistant to the Secretary of Public Affairs Sean Parnell.
Parnell said that 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.”
Multiple service members have been relieved of their duties because of social media posts about Kirk.
One military officer told NBC News that disciplining military members for criticizing a civilian is an unusual step.
“We can’t criticize the commander in chief, but I can’t remember anyone ever telling me we can’t say anything critical about a civilian like this. He was not in our chain of command or anything,” the officer said.
Conservative influencer Laura Loomer has been pointing out those on social media who criticized Kirk after his death. In one post, she highlighted a Pennsylvania mayor.
“Meet Shawn Raup-Konsavage, the Mayor of Bernville Borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Mayor posted on his Facebook page that he was glad Charlie Kirk was “gone”. He should immediately resign,” she posted on X.
In another post, she highlighted Shelby Haas, who she says works for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Loomer said Haas spoke critically of Kirk and displayed several Instagram posts where she pointed out Kirk’s alleged hypocrisy.
In one, Haas said of Kirk, “But he was just a nice, tolerant guy making a difference? Not enabling anything,” in response to a social media post highlighting Kirk mourners chanting “White man, fight back.”
FOREIGN LEADERS REMEMBER CHARLIE KIRK AS DEFENDER OF FREEDOM AFTER ACTIVIST’S ASSASSINATION
Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, was caught on Friday, after a manhunt following the shooting earlier this week in front of a crowd of college students at a Utah university.
Charlie Kirk’s death shocked many within the political sphere. Figures from the right and left mourned him, but some mocked or blamed Kirk for his own death.
