Pentagon Intensifies Scrutiny of Service Members’ Social Media Posts After Kirk Assassination
Pentagon Intensifies Scrutiny of Service Members’ Social Media Posts After Kirk Assassination
The Pentagon is actively scrutinizing the social media posts of numerous U.S. service members in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s recent assassination. This intensified review has already led to disciplinary actions, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly condemning any commentary mocking or praising Kirk’s killing.
Secretary Hegseth underscored the military’s zero-tolerance policy, stating on X, “We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable.” The crackdown has seen at least one Marine officer removed from recruiting duties and five Army officers, along with an Army reserve officer, suspended pending investigations into their online activities.
The full scope of service members under investigation across all branches remains unclear, with some even facing scrutiny for merely quoting Kirk’s past statements. High-profile figures and groups, including GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden and influential social media accounts like Libs of TikTok, have been flagging posts and tagging the Defense Department since last week, urging review.
Defense officials clarify that consequences will vary based on the comments’ substance and the individual’s status. While civilian employees retain broad free speech protections, uniformed service members operate under stricter regulations, including the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Violations of UCMJ Articles 92 (failure to obey regulations) or 134 (conduct discrediting the armed forces) could lead to disciplinary measures.
Dan Maurer, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former military prosecutor, noted the broad interpretation of these laws, suggesting that “even somewhat benign commentary” about Kirk could be framed as a UCMJ violation, especially given the strong reactions from the Secretary of Defense and the President. However, prosecuting such cases in a court martial requires proving the posts incite violence or prejudice good order and discipline, a challenge highlighted by past rulings. Non-judicial disciplinary actions, such as letters of reprimand, loss of pay, or rank reduction, also remain options.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell affirmed the department’s stance, declaring, “We will not tolerate military or civilian personnel who celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American. Those in our ranks who rejoice at an act of domestic terrorism are unfit to serve the American people at the Department of War.”
Service secretaries have echoed this sentiment. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who indicated on Wednesday he had no exact count of posts under review, emphasized, “Posts that celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American are inconsistent with Army values.” Navy Secretary John Phelan and Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink also issued similar warnings last week, underscoring the expectation of professionalism and swift action against any conduct that discredits their respective departments.
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