The post, which suggested Kirk deserved to be murdered, has also drawn strong condemnation from high-level military and government officials.
A U.S. Secret Service employee has been placed on administrative leave following a code of conduct violation stemming from a social media post about the assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk. The post, which was shared on Facebook, allegedly suggested that Kirk deserved to be murdered, prompting swift action from the agency and widespread condemnation from government leaders.
In a statement to the Tampa Free Press, the Secret Service confirmed the employee’s administrative leave and the initiation of an investigation, stating, “The U.S. Secret Service will not tolerate behavior that violates our code of conduct. This employee was immediately put on administrative leave, and an investigation has begun.”
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The incident came to light after Sen. Marsha Blackburn released a letter she had written to the agency, demanding the agent’s “immediate termination.” The senator’s call to action highlights the seriousness with which officials are viewing the employee’s online behavior.
The controversy has also drawn an immediate response from the military. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell took to social media to state, “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.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth echoed this noting that his team is tracking similar posts “very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable.”
Other branches of the armed forces, including the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marine Corps, and National Guard, have also issued statements condemning the “reprehensible, tasteless and out of line with our values” comments being made by some on social media.
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The administrative leave of the Secret Service employee is the latest development in a high-profile case that has dominated headlines.
The news follows reports on the identity of the suspect in Kirk’s killing, Tyler Robinson, as well as a timeline leading up to his arrest.
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