The White House and multiple federal agencies have issued stark warnings against celebrating or mocking the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with senior administration figures urging the public to report offenders to their employers and security officials vowing “zero tolerance” within the military and government ranks. Vice President JD Vance told listeners of Kirk’s podcast on Monday that those who cheer the killing should be confronted and identified. “When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out,” Vance said. “And hell, call their employer.” His remarks came during a special episode he hosted in Kirk’s honor and marked the clearest signal yet of a coordinated government posture aimed at deterring online and workplace speech perceived as glorifying the killing.
At the Pentagon, the administration’s chief military spokesman, Sean Parnell, said leadership would not tolerate celebratory or derisive posts about Kirk’s death by uniformed personnel or civilian employees. “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,” Parnell wrote on X, adding in a separate post: “We are tracking all these very closely — and will address immediately. Completely unacceptable.” The Navy’s civilian leader, Secretary John Phelan, warned that anyone who brings “discredit” upon the department through such behavior “will be dealt with swiftly and decisively,” while the Air Force and Army secretaries each posted parallel admonitions emphasizing that mocking an assassination violates core service values.
The State Department moved in tandem on the foreign policy front, signaling that non-citizens who celebrate the killing could lose their permission to remain in, or travel to, the United States. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said last week that “foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country” and that he had directed consular officials to “undertake appropriate action” against individuals “praising, rationalizing, or making light of” Kirk’s death on social media. On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the department had begun revoking visas, adding: “America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens,” and warning, “Visa revocations are under way. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported.”
Beyond public messaging, warnings and discipline have rippled through the federal workforce. Government Executive reported that agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service have placed employees on leave or opened investigations over social media posts criticizing or mocking Kirk’s death. FEMA said it removed one staffer from duty after a post that a spokesperson condemned as “revolting and unconscionable,” adding that “Celebrating the death of a fellow American is appalling, unacceptable and sickening.” The article outlined how agencies are reminding workers of rules governing off-duty conduct and emphasizing that certain speech can be sanctioned if it violates workplace standards or undermines agency integrity.