Pete Hegseth tells Pentagon staff to hunt for negative Charlie Kirk posts by service members
Source: NBC News
WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told his staff to identify any members of the military who have mocked or condoned the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk so that they can be punished, two defense officials told NBC News.
Several service members have been relieved from their jobs because of such posts, the officials said, adding that Hegseths directive also pertains to others associated with the Defense Department. Its unclear exactly how many people have been disciplined.
Hegseth and other senior Pentagon leaders posted messages on X this week calling on the public to report any posts that could be interpreted as negative about Kirk or unsympathetic about his murder.
We are tracking all these very closely and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable, Hegseth wrote on X Thursday.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/hegseth-pentagon-staff-negative-charlie-kirk-posts-service-members-rcna230915
â.. I canât remember anyone ever telling me we canât say anything critical about a civilian like this. He was not in our chain of command or anything,â the officer said.
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) 2025-09-12T23:12:42.416Z
@nbcnews.com
www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...

Irish_Dem
(74,728 posts)And they don't have it themselves.
Klarkashton
(3,968 posts)wolfie001
(6,119 posts)
Klarkashton
(3,968 posts)The time to look tough. He's just a weenie boy, a two bit actor.
Eliot Rosewater
(34,029 posts)Last edited Fri Sep 12, 2025, 08:13 PM - Edit history (1)
Ever has in history, youre doing it.
Head of our military is saying this
kacekwl
(8,566 posts)always call us fascists and Nazis ? Has Pete heard of friendly fire.
sinkingfeeling
(56,322 posts)mwmisses4289
(2,202 posts)Every person who has been fired or otherwise let go from their jobs simply for saying anything critical of charlie needs to sue the crap out of the organization. The time for us being nice is long gone.
OldBaldy1701E
(9,040 posts)In this country, there is only one thing that rules above all. You mess with that, it will get attention.
Sue the DOD and every other entity that pulls this crap. Don't stop and DON'T SETTLE. Sue them until they have nothing.
(This is assuming that they won't just cry to the orange gibbon and get him to declare martial law. Nothing will get that bloated thing moving faster than the thought that someone is about to take some of 'his' money.)
rsdsharp
(11,285 posts)Charlie Kirk and Rudolf Hess I could be kicked out?
pfitz59
(11,846 posts)what a scumbag
Response to demmiblue (Original post)
Random Person This message was self-deleted by its author.
Crowman2009
(3,260 posts)Never mind searching for terrorist threats. People have been saying mean things about Charlie!
wolfie001
(6,119 posts)Puppyjive
(833 posts)As a veteran, I would never recommend it at his time.
turbinetree
(26,548 posts)you do realize that they do have a right under the 1st amendment to say things right...............you know that pesky thing called the Constitution that your right wing court is dismantling ..............
damifino10
(133 posts)Kirk could say anything that he wanted, against anybody he wanted, and about anything he wanted, but don't you open your mouth or you will lose your job.
I am saying there is no such thing as freedom of speech any longer.
Martin68
(26,458 posts)kwolf68
(8,139 posts)Just what we want the pentagon to be doing, surfing social media. Good grief.
RedWhiteBlueIsRacist
(1,096 posts)Farmer-Rick
(12,072 posts)When you join the military. But it is severely restricted.
Most times the courts have supported squashing a military member's freedom of speech if it interfered with good order and discipline. Like protesting outside a military base to stop military action when you are in the military. Or denigrating senior officers even the Commander in Chief.
Normally the military has to prove the freedom of speech in question directly interfered with good order and discipline. But how the hell are they going to prove that in the case of Kirk?
Kirk is no one at all in the chain of command. He was never involved with the military except to be turned down by West Point. If you hated Kirk or if you loved him it would make absolutely no difference to good order and discipline in the military.
But we all know the Nazis on the Supremes would do anything their master orders. So, if you get courts-martialled for hating Kirk, you would normally have a case of violation of your freedom of speech. But with the Nazis on the Supremes right now, there's no telling which way it will go.
Solly Mack
(95,678 posts)KPN
(16,916 posts)comments if he needs some.
eringer
(490 posts)What utter nonsense
Prairie Gates
(6,259 posts)
thought crime
(782 posts)markodochartaigh
(4,001 posts)also being warned, fired, and reprimanded over this. Now that our private data is being collated with our identities how long before "small government" Republican ai turns up everyone who has posted anti-maga comments?
https://www.wsmv.com/2025/09/11/nashville-fire-department-employee-placed-leave-over-alleged-post-about-charlie-kirks-death/
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2025/09/12/charlie-kirk-nashville-emergency-communications-employee-suspended/86109548007/
Dave Bowman
(5,812 posts)mdbl
(7,337 posts)
Americanme
(274 posts)Nobody will be disciplined if they mock the killing of Melissa Hortman, the attack on Paul Pelosi, or the assassination of MLK?
purr-rat beauty
(781 posts)with this jag ass, felonious trump, and vacay vance on it
Alpha until Snowflake
seriously, this don't cross your eyes at me shit is GETTING OLD!
that's The Deep State and Big Gov't
Doctoris Extincti
(36 posts)At the time, Kirk had spoken against military strikes targeting Iran that were ordered by Trump, for whom TPUSA had rallied young voters support. Kirk had also been vocal about wanting a full release of materials pertaining to the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein, the former Trump friend who in 2008 had pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor and in 2019 died in jail while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
Loomer in those days said she was also upset that, just one year removed from Trumps having survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, Kirk had hosted the comedian Dave Smith at a conference after the latter called on the Republican president to be impeached and for his supporters to abandon him...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/12/laura-loomer-charlie-kirk
Oh. Right. She is protected by the "MAGA can lie all the way to the Bank" Shadow Clause of the Constitution introduced on the Shadow Docket of a once honored Court.
Bayard
(26,974 posts)Not only stomping on freedom of speech, but also privacy laws. Last I heard, you don't give those up with you join the military.