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
(74,298 posts)And they don't have it themselves.
Klarkashton
(3,903 posts)wolfie001
(6,074 posts)
Klarkashton
(3,903 posts)The time to look tough. He's just a weenie boy, a two bit actor.
Eliot Rosewater
(33,939 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
(8,562 posts)always call us fascists and Nazis ? Has Pete heard of friendly fire.
sinkingfeeling
(56,293 posts)mwmisses4289
(2,135 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.
rsdsharp
(11,274 posts)Charlie Kirk and Rudolf Hess I could be kicked out?
pfitz59
(11,823 posts)what a scumbag
Random Person
(33 posts)white trash to the max.
Crowman2009
(3,252 posts)Never mind searching for terrorist threats. People have been saying mean things about Charlie!
wolfie001
(6,074 posts)Puppyjive
(823 posts)As a veteran, I would never recommend it at his time.
turbinetree
(26,515 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
(26,437 posts)kwolf68
(8,136 posts)Just what we want the pentagon to be doing, surfing social media. Good grief.
RedWhiteBlueIsRacist
(1,027 posts)Farmer-Rick
(12,055 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
(95,642 posts)KPN
(16,910 posts)comments if he needs some.
eringer
(488 posts)What utter nonsense
Prairie Gates
(6,207 posts)
thought crime
(759 posts)markodochartaigh
(3,896 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/