In the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination on September 10, 2025, a firestorm of calls for action against those expressing negative or celebratory remarks about his death has swept across the United States. Leading the charge, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared on Fox News’ Hannity on September 15, 2025, urging businesses to fire employees making “discriminatory” or “hateful” comments about Kirk, citing potential civil rights violations under the Department of Justice (DOJ). Referencing a viral incident involving an Office Depot employee in Portage, Michigan, who refused to print Kirk vigil posters, Bondi declared such actions prosecutable, with Assistant AG Harmeet Dhillon tasked to investigate immediately.
Framing her call as a defense of Kirk’s legacy and a deterrent to violence, Bondi’s remarks have drawn sharp criticism from free speech advocates, including some conservatives, who warn of a chilling effect on First Amendment rights. Her stance is part of a broader, rapid escalation of demands – spanning government officials, right-wing influencers, and grassroots campaigns – that have led to over 30 reported firings, investigations, or resignations as of September 13, 2025, fueled by social media outrage and doxxing efforts targeting Kirk’s critics.
Government officials demand accountability
Several high-ranking figures have explicitly called for investigations, punishments, or expulsions targeting critics:
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: On September 12, Hegseth ordered Pentagon staff to “find and identify military members, and any individual associated with the Pentagon, who have mocked or appeared to condone Charlie Kirk’s murder” for disciplinary action, including potential firings. He posted on X urging the public to report such posts, stating they were “completely unacceptable” and would be addressed “immediately.” This has led to at least one military officer being relieved of duties over a post saying, “I don’t give a s— about Charlie Kirk.”
• Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau: On September 11, Landau posted on X warning that his office might revoke U.S. visas for foreign nationals making “disgusting” social media remarks praising or rationalizing Kirk’s death. He invited the public to “bring such comments by foreigners to my attention” for “appropriate action,” emphasising that those glorifying violence are “not welcome visitors.” This has prompted reports of international users being flagged.
• Navy Secretary John Phelan: On September 12, Phelan warned on X about posts showing “contempt toward a fellow American who was assassinated,” implying military repercussions for service members involved.
• Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas: In a September 12 memo to superintendents, Kamoutsas denounced teachers’ “despicable comments” about Kirk’s death and vowed investigations and disciplinary action. This led to suspensions and firings, including an elementary school teacher in Florida for posting that Kirk’s death was “a close second” to a hoped-for obituary. Similar threats came from Oklahoma’s Education Department.
• Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA): On September 13, Higgins announced on X that he would use “congressional authority and every influence with big tech platforms to mandate immediate ban for life” from social media for anyone who “belittled the assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
• Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL): On September 15, Fine called on X for the public to report those “celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk,” promising to “demand their firing, defunding, and license revocation” to throw them “out of civil society.”
• Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI): On September 12, Van Orden blamed media and Democrats for inciting violence like Kirk’s death and urged broader crackdowns on “horrifically horrible political violent rhetoric.”
Influencers and grassroots amplify pressure
Influencers have led doxxing campaigns, sharing personal details to pressure employers:
• Chaya Raichik (Libs of TikTok): Starting September 11, Raichik reposted names, photos, workplaces, and posts of critics (e.g., a Middle Tennessee State University assistant dean who said she had “ZERO sympathy” for Kirk, leading to her firing). She accused them of mocking the assassination and urged followers to contact employers. Her posts have reached millions and contributed to at least a dozen educator firings.
• Laura Loomer: From September 11, Loomer encouraged scouring the internet for celebratory remarks and exposing posters online, including a UCLA “Director of Race and Equity” placed on leave for “disgusting” posts.
• Enrique Tarrio (former Proud Boys leader): Joined the doxxing efforts on September 11, targeting individuals for “celebrating” Kirk’s death and sharing their info to incite backlash.
• An anonymous website “Expose Charlie’s Murderers”: Launched September 10, it collects and publishes personal details (e.g., usernames, emails, jobs) of alleged celebrators, leading to death threats and firings. It’s been called a “hub” for vigilante exposure by Reuters and Wired.
Broader public and grassroots calls on social media
X is flooded with users urging reports to employers, the FBI, or platforms, often framing criticism as “hate speech” or incitement:
• Users such @Eat_Drink_Smoke called for reporting “every negative account about Charlie Kirk” as “inciting violence.”
• @coinerrorguide urged reporting “evil” comments to the FBI and vowed to unfollow non-reporters.
• @ACart888 forwarded a “vile” post to the State Department for potential U.S. entry bans.
• @PresPaulKruger_ promoted a QR code to report posts, triggering employer contacts.
• @guy37516343 demanded deplatforming, firing, expulsion, and hate crime charges for “odious” comments.
• @BillSmi72331024 shared a site for screenshotting “hateful comments” to expose users and aid FBI threat assessments.
• @SwiiFFtAyala boasted about voicemailing an employer to report “hostile” discourse, warning of “consequences.”
• @AU80_ (September 10) advised mass-reporting “soulless libs” for “glorification of violence.”
The rapid escalation of calls to punish critics of Charlie Kirk reflects a deeply polarised moment in American discourse, amplified by the tragedy of his assassination. The scale suggests a coordinated conservative backlash: From Attorney General Bondi’s DOJ-backed threats to grassroots doxxing campaigns, these efforts aim to protect Kirk’s legacy and curb perceived incitement, but they have sparked a fierce debate over free speech. As firings and investigations mount, the controversy underscores the tension between honouring a slain figure and preserving democratic freedoms, with legal challenges likely to shape the path forward in this fraught political climate.
In a nutshell, it’s a game of “Dob in a Democrat” that the right-wing take satisfaction in playing.
Also by Michael Taylor:
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Can anybody be in any doubt that Authoritarianism has arrived in the US?
As we cosy up to the US and allow them into our country and into our Defence Department.
““The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. If that does not suit you then get out.”
David Morrison.