{"id":38138,"date":"2025-09-13T17:46:48","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T17:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=38138"},"modified":"2025-09-13T17:46:48","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T17:46:48","slug":"hegseth-orders-pentagon-officials-to-track-down-military-service-members-celebrating-charlie-kirks-assassination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=38138","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth orders Pentagon officials to track down military service members celebrating Charlie Kirk\u2019s assassination"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>War Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed Pentagon officials to be on the lookout for members of the military\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/09\/12\/us-news\/some-teachers-caught-vilely-mocking-charlie-kirks-death-may-still-be-classroom\/\">celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk<\/a>, so they can be punished.<\/p>\n<p>In the wake of the 31-year-old conservative influencer\u2019s murder Wednesday, online sleuths have uncovered numerous\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/09\/10\/us-news\/ghoulish-dems-liberals-are-blaming-charlie-kirk-for-his-own-assassination\/\">sick social media posts<\/a>\u00a0from public officials, teachers, professors and even members of the armed services\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/09\/11\/us-news\/rep-ilhan-omar-cruelly-stomps-on-conservative-activist-charlie-kirks-legacy-full-of-s\/\">ghoulishly cheering or mocking<\/a>\u00a0Kirk\u2019s assassination.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are tracking all these very closely \u2014 and will address, immediately,\u201d Hegseth\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PeteHegseth\/status\/1966274615975739604\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wrote on X<\/a>\u00a0Thursday. \u201cCompletely unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"37100088\"><\/button><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37100088\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?w=1024\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 841px) 100vw, 841px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 4749w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=300,210&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=768,539&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=1024,718&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=1536,1078&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=2048,1437&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=839,589&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 839w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=707,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 707w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=576,404&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=440,309&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=402,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 402w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=180,126&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=101,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 101w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=57,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 57w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=100,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 100w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=77,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 77w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=200,140&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=231,162&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=322,226&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=629,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 629w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=86,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 86w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=114,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 114w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=83,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 83w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=222,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 222w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=50,35&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/u-s-defense-secretary-pete-111173465.jpg?resize=150,105&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w\" alt=\"Pete Hegseth speaking at the Pentagon on the anniversary of 9\/11.\" width=\"841\" height=\"590\" data-modal-image=\"37100088\" \/><figcaption>Hegseth has reportedly tasked Pentagon staffers with tracking down military service members celebrating or mocking Kirk\u2019s assassination.<span class=\"credit\">Jack Gruber-USA TODAY via Imagn Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The war secretary\u2019s post came in response to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SeanParnellASW\/status\/1966255540012724522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tweeting out<\/a>\u00a0that it is \u201cunacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Department of War has zero tolerance for it,\u201d Parnell added.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<div class=\"inline-module inline-module--more inline-module--explore-more inline-module--more--thirds\" data-source-unit=\"Explore More - Tag\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<p>Hegseth has reportedly ordered his staff to identify any military service members or persons associated with the War Department condoning the act of political violence so they can be fired, NBC News reported on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Several service members have already been terminated over such posts, according to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/national-security\/hegseth-pentagon-staff-negative-charlie-kirk-posts-service-members-rcna230915\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">outlet<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The exact number of armed service members disciplined is unclear.<\/p>\n<p>Since Kirk\u2019s assassination, several X users have utilized the hashtag #RevolutionariesintheRanks to flag vile posts purportedly from military service members.<\/p>\n<p>Kirk\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GregPenn_vet\/status\/1966667532590285273\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cgot what he deserves period,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0read one such post.<\/p>\n<p>Another described the murder as Kirk being\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GregPenn_vet\/status\/1966557211208949773\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cheld accountable\u201d<\/a>\u00a0for his actions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"37100086\"><\/button><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37100086\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?w=819\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 472px) 100vw, 472px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1440w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=240,300&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 240w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=768,960&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=819,1024&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 819w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=1229,1536&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1229w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=471,589&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 471w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=397,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 397w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=515,644&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 515w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=393,491&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 393w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=226,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 226w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=165,206&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 165w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=57,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 57w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=32,40&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 32w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=56,70&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 56w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=43,54&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 43w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=160,200&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 160w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=231,289&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=322,403&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=300,375&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=353,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 353w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=48,60&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 48w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=64,80&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 64w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=46,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 46w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=125,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 125w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=40,50&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 40w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/charlie-erika-kirk-seen-undated-111104063_31631d.jpg?resize=150,188&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w\" alt=\"Charlie and Erika Kirk with their two young children.\" width=\"472\" height=\"590\" data-modal-image=\"37100086\" \/><figcaption>Kirk, 31, was murdered while hosting an event at a college campus in Utah on Wednesday.<span class=\"credit\">Instagram\/mrserikakirk<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A Marine Corps recruiter was fired Thursday after posting an image of the influential Turning Point USA founder on Instagram with the caption: \u201cAnother racist man popped.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Marine in question has been relieved of his recruiting duties, and the matter is currently under investigation.\u201d Capt. Austin Gallegos told\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/taskandpurpose.com\/news\/marine-recruiter-investigation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Task &amp; Purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Kirk, a husband and father of two young children, was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/09\/10\/us-news\/charlie-kirk-possibly-targeted-in-shooting-at-utah-valley-university-event-during-his-american-comeback-tour\/\">shot dead by a sniper<\/a>\u00a0Wednesday as he hosted an event on the campus of Utah Valley University.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities announced the arrest of the suspected gunman,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/09\/12\/us-news\/we-have-him-trump-says-suspect-in-custody-for-charlie-kirk-assassination\/\">22-year-old Tyler Robinson<\/a>, on Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; War Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed Pentagon officials to be on the lookout for members of the military\u00a0celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk, so they can be punished. &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38138"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38139,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38138\/revisions\/38139"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}