Disciplinary actions related to comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk

Last updated

Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University. Charlie Kirk by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg
Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University.

After the assassination of American political activist and commentator Charlie Kirk in September 2025, there followed mass disciplinary and retaliatory actions against people for commentary or social media posts believed to celebrate, justify, or trivialize Kirk's death, encourage further political violence, denigrate Kirk, or tarnish his legacy. These efforts were promoted and directly engaged in by the U.S. federal government, with President Donald Trump explicitly condemning the left for the violence in his address to the nation in its immediate aftermath, and pledging to target left-wing groups and causes, monitor political speech, revoke visas, and designate far-left groups as domestic terrorists in response to the attack.

Contents

On the night of Kirk's killing, the Department of State announced it would penalize individuals considered to be "praising, rationalizing, or making light of Kirk's death". Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced an investigation into the reactions of members of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as subsequent firings and dismissals of those found to have made obscene or blasphemous comments about Kirk. Commentary cited as reasons for firings and other reprisals included comments which openly celebrated Kirk's untimely demise, spoke critically of his politics or political influence, or which appeared to justify Kirk's assassination through citing his own views on the constant of gun violence or otherwise reposting Kirk's words in ways intended to dishonor his memory. In some cases, criticizing the Republican Party's response to his killing—regarded by some as seeking to opportunistically capitalize on Kirk's death to target political enemies and engage in a broad crackdown on dissent against the Trump administration—resulted in termination of employment or other disciplinary actions.

Following Kirk's death, a number of prominent conservatives called for retaliation or punishment of private citizens and government or military employees whose comments about Kirk were, in their view, likely to encourage additional political violence, or which were deemed insufficiently respectful towards Kirk and his legacy. They also called for investigations into left-wing groups, universities, and the military for putative anti-Kirk speech. On The Charlie Kirk Show following his death, Vice President JD Vance called for persons heard to make remarks deemed uncivil to Kirk to be reported to their employers for termination. Trump later announced that any network that criticized him too harshly could be subject to a revocation of their broadcast license. Multiple analysts have regarded these efforts by the political right as a significant crackdown on political speech and dissent in the United States, and an effort to silence criticism of Kirk and the political ideology he promoted. The response was criticized as a form of cancel culture, government censorship, and of bearing similarities to McCarthyism.

Background

The tent in which Kirk was fatally shot, cordoned off with police tape Charlie Kirk shooting scene aerial view close up.png
The tent in which Kirk was fatally shot, cordoned off with police tape

Charlie Kirk was an American right-wing influencer who founded Turning Point USA and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show . He was known for his debates on college campuses where he attempted to promote his conservative views to young audiences. His statements about topics such as LGBTQ+ individuals, the role of women in marriage, and race in the United States were controversial. [1] [2] [3] At a campaign event in Kentucky with Nate Morris in June 2025, Kirk himself spoke about the potential for violence. He told the crowd: "We're on the front lines where it's not always safe." [4]

On September 10, 2025, Kirk was engaged in one of his regular debates as part of his American Comeback Tour with college students at Utah Valley University—debating mass shootings in the United States supposedly committed by transgender individuals—when a gunman on a nearby rooftop shot and killed him. [5] Reactions on social media varied; the vast majority of people on both sides of the political aisle condemned the murder, but some who opposed Kirk's views celebrated, justified, or mocked his death. [6]

Initial reactions and doxing

After the shooting, some users on Bluesky made posts glorifying or celebrating Kirk's killing—which in extreme cases were alleged to incite violence against other right-wing figures, several posting or reposting a meme that said "do Trump next" or "Elon next please". This prompted the platform to issue a statement denouncing such posts. Other social media platforms including Meta, YouTube, and Reddit issued similar warnings to their users. [7]

Although U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that "the radicals on the left are the problem" with political violence, 75% of extremist killings in the U.S. from 2013 through 2022 were caused by right-wing perpetrators. From 2022 through 2024, all 61 political killings were committed by right-wing extremists. 2013- Extremist-related killings, by perpetrator affiliation (US).svg
Although U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that "the radicals on the left are the problem" with political violence, 75% of extremist killings in the U.S. from 2013 through 2022 were caused by right-wing perpetrators. From 2022 through 2024, all 61 political killings were committed by right-wing extremists.

Speaking to the nation during the aftermath of Kirk's death, President Donald Trump, while calling for nonviolence and lamenting "the demonization of those with whom we disagree", blamed "a radical left group of lunatics" for the killing; Trump said that leftist political rhetoric and activism was terrorism and hate speech responsible for Kirk's death, and stated that he would "get that problem solved". [11] [12] [13] He subsequently announced that people and groups "on the left" would be investigated for alleged responsibility for political violence and would face retaliatory action. [14] In an interview, Trump reiterated his intent to crack down on speech and activism by left-wing and progressive groups, calling for prominent Democratic Party donor George Soros to be jailed, accusing Soros as well as other left-wing political figures and organizations of effectively funding Kirk's murder via support for "violent protest". [11] The groups Trump had explicitly accused of funding and fomenting violence, such as the Open Society Foundation and Indivisible, condemned the killing prior to Trump's remarks and denied ever supporting or funding violent protest. [11] [15] After Jimmy Kimmel's show was indefinitely suspended a few days later when Kimmel opined on air that "[...]the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it[...]", Trump stated that broadcasters who criticized him too strongly could risk being subject to loss of licensure. [16] [17] [18]

Vice President JD Vance hosting Kirk's podcast where he called for people to be doxed Vice President JD Vance Hosting The Charlie Kirk Show.png
Vice President JD Vance hosting Kirk's podcast where he called for people to be doxed

Hosting Kirk's podcast after his death, JD Vance called for the dismantling of progressive political organizations, including Soros's, and told Americans to report "uncivil" speech about Kirk to employers and relevant authorities, demanding that individuals who engaged in inappropriate speech about Kirk be terminated. [19] [20] Thousands were flagged by vigilante online conservative groups for allegedly celebrating Kirk's death, often incorrectly and without evidence. [21] Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that any non-citizens who celebrated Kirk's death would be immediately deported, [22] [23] and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth instructed staff to identify and purge any members of the military service or his department who condoned or mocked Kirk's death. [24]

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller immediately blamed the left for Kirk's murder, writing that left-wing ideology was a "twisted, depraved ... ideology at war with family and nature ... that leads, always, inevitably and willfully, to violence", [25] and accused the left of "celebrating". [26] Miller later claimed on Kirk's podcast with Vance that, on the day before his death, "the last message that Charlie sent me ... was that we needed to have an organized strategy to go after the left-leaning organizations that are promoting violence in this country." [26] Miller alleged that "a vast terrorist network" on the left was responsible for the murder, and declared that the administration would "destroy" progressive political organizations in response, in Kirk's name. [27] Miller said the federal government would devote every resource at its disposal to vengeance against left-wing non-profit and political non-governmental organizations and networks and would "identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy these networks." [28]

Subsequently, far-right activists such as Laura Loomer sought to identify social media users who were posting offensive or celebratory content about Kirk's death. [29] Reuters reported that some right-wing influencers who encouraged reporting social media posts had previously mocked political violence; Reuters cited comments from a number of right-wing activists, including Kirk, about past events including the attack on Paul Pelosi. [30] On September 11, in response to the previous day's "horrific assassination", Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau invited his social-media followers to report any foreign-born U.S. residents who "glorify violence and hatred" to the Department of State in order to protect the American people. [31] [32] On September 15, JD Vance guest hosted Kirk's podcast and told listeners that if they saw anyone who was reportedly celebrating Kirk's death to "call them out" and continued stating: "Hell, call their employer. We don't believe in political violence, but we do believe in civility, and there is no civility in the celebration of political assassination." [33] The Associated Press described the campaign as having "broadened to include even those whose statements were critical of Kirk without celebrating his assassination". Adam Goldstein of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression described the shift as a form of right-wing cancel culture, noting that people were being targeted for simply quoting Kirk or failing to mourn his passing adequately. Goldstein said that "government involvement in this does inch this closer to looking like McCarthyism". [34]

A centralized list of people's identities and personal information were gathered online at a website called Charlie's Murderers, which was registered shortly after his death. The information listed included full names, employment details, locations, social media handles, and email addresses of the targeted individuals, while the administrators of the site have remained anonymous. The site reportedly received thousands of submitted names to be added to the list. [35] The website was later rebranded as the Charlie Kirk Data Foundation, before it was taken down on September 16. [33] Vance and Republican members of Congress have called for the government to start investigating progressive organizations following Kirk's assassination, and those targeted have compared the firings to those of the Second Red Scare and McCarthyism in the 1950s, when suspected communists were targeted and ostracized from American society. [36]

Due to many unverified accusations being made, public information about uninvolved individuals with similar names were posted on social media by accusers. A Walmart IT technician with the same name of an accused poster had his public information posted online which resulted in threatening messages, phone calls, a job suspension and his family having to flee their home out of safety concerns. In another case, the Students for Trump national chair Ryan Fournier had to take back an accusation of comments deemed anti-Kirk against an elementary school teacher in Wisconsin, resulting in Fournier asking for the doxing and accusations to continue just with more evidence and details. [37]

Many right-wing media figures and former members of the administration, such as Alex Jones, Jesse Waters, Elon Musk, and Steve Bannon, [38] [39] stated that Kirk's killing meant that Americans were "in a war" between right and left. [40] [41] Others on the right demanded "retribution" and "vengeance" against the left for speech claimed to have contributed to and celebrated Kirk's death, endorsing speech crackdowns and retaliation. [42] [43] [44] Musk claimed that "the left is the party of murder" and repeatedly exhorted his followers to "fight"; Musk also sought personally to have individuals deplatformed, imprisoned, or retaliated against for negative commentary about Kirk despite his claim to be a "free speech absolutist" who acquired Twitter to oppose efforts to deplatform individuals in retaliation for unpopular speech, [45] attempting to publicly exert pressure via the social network on Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to retaliate against employees of its affiliate Blizzard whom Musk alleged had made inappropriate comments about Kirk, and similarly seeking to influence Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to retaliate against leftist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker for making comments about the shooting with which Musk apparently disagreed. [46] [47] [48] The allegations that Piker or Blizzard employees had celebrated Kirk's death have not been subsequently verified. [49]

Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated on Katie Miller's podcast and in subsequent Department of Justice announcements that she intended to "target" speech against Kirk following his death as hate speech, which led to a backlash within a section of the right. [50] [51] Some right-wing officials and members of the media such as Brendan Carr or Tucker Carlson opposed some of the efforts to limit free speech or criticism in the wake of Kirk's death, particularly efforts to classify speech as hate speech which celebrates Kirk's death or punish free expression online, viewing these as unconstitutional and potentially dangerous crackdown on civil liberties or basic freedoms. [52] [53]

Incidents of employee terminations and investigations

United States

In the days after the shooting, various people—including teachers, firefighters, and members of the military and U.S. Secret Service were fired from their jobs for social media posts that celebrated Kirk's assassination or were seen as disparaging of his legacy. [54] Vice President JD Vance called for a crackdown on liberal political groups and an investigation into "uncivil" speech critical of Kirk or disrespectful of his memory or legacy. [55] [56] These calls to use Kirk's death to "justify measures to silence opponents" and crack down on political speech have been echoed by President Trump and other leading Republican officials. [57] [58] Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also called for a purge of the military and broad investigation into members found to be critical of Kirk in the wake of his death. [59]

Education

According to a list compiled by The Chronicle of Higher Education , at least 40 higher education faculty, staff, and students have been terminated, suspended, or expelled for commentary alleged as insufficiently respectful towards Kirk following his death. [60] [61] Several faced consequences for suggesting Kirk's death was ironic, due to their interpretation of his views on gun violence in the United States: a faculty member at Austin Peay University was terminated for sharing a screenshot on Facebook of a Newsweek headline in which Kirk said deaths from guns were "unfortunately" worth it to preserve the Second Amendment. [60] [61] The university's statement claimed the post merited termination because reposting Kirk's own prior remarks justifying gun violence implicitly justified his death. [62] Another staff member at the University of Louisville was placed under investigation for re-posting Kirk's remarks on gun deaths being the price of the 2nd amendment "without comment". [60] A South Dakota faculty member has been suspended for posting "I'm sorry for his family ... But geez, where was all this concern when the politicians in Minnesota were shot? And the school shootings? And Capital Police?" [60]

An instructor at Enterprise State Community College, Alabama, was terminated for calling attention to the Evergreen High School shooting that happened on the day of Kirk's slaying, posting on TikTok, "Let us not forget some other children were shot in another f--king shooting today." [60] Some faculty were terminated for making jokes about the incident, such as an instructor from Guilford Technical Community College who was videotaped by a student while joking that "I'll praise the shooter; he had good aim". Many more educators across the U.S. have been placed on indefinite leave due to negative or unsympathetic comments made about Kirk online. [63] [64] [65]

Middle Tennessee State University fired Assistant Dean of Students Laura Sosh-Lightsy for "inappropriate and callous" social media remarks about Kirk's murder. [66] [67] The University of Mississippi fired Lauren Stokes, an executive assistant to a vice chancellor, after she shared a post critical of Kirk following his assassination. [68] [69] Clemson University terminated an employee and later dismissed two faculty members for "inappropriate" social media posts about Kirk's assassination (initially removing the professors from teaching before firing them). [70] [71] [72] In Chula Vista, a teacher was placed on leave after showing the video to students. [73] Ohio State University professors described a "sense of unease" following firings, expressing concerns over speculation about being recorded by students seeking to catch them expressing negative views about Kirk. [74]

Two school districts in Texas have fired two teachers and placed a third on administrative leave for making comments online about Kirk's death. Both districts said the comments of the fired employees did not reflect the values of their schools. [75] According to Texas governor Greg Abbott, nearly 300 teachers in the state are under investigation for speech criticizing Kirk. [76] A student at Texas Tech University was recorded arguing with a another student holding a "RIP Charlie Kirk" sign stating at one point "Yeah, fuck your homie dead" and appearing to touch the MAGA hat the student was wearing. She was later expelled from the university and arrested on misdemeanor assault with Governor Abbott and the Texas Tech Board of Regents Chairman condemning her behavior. [77] A student at Texas State University was expelled for mocking Kirk's death, with a video showing him saying, "Charlie Kirk got hit in the neck, bitch", and mimicking Kirk's death by slapping himself in the neck. [78]

Entertainment

DC Comics cancelled Gretchen Felker-Martin's Red Hood book series one day after its debut, after the writer commented about Kirk's death on Bluesky, saying "Hope the bullet's OK after hitting Kirk", later deleting the post and "Thoughts and prayers you Nazi bitch". [79] [80] [81] In an interview with The Comics Journal , Felker-Martin stated that when DC called to inform her that this was "something that DC and Warner Brothers couldn't stand behind or defend", she stood by her comments, stating, "I said that I've listened to Charlie Kirk being an overt Nazi for years of my life, and I had no regrets for what I said about him." [82]

PHNX Sports parted ways with Phoenix Suns beat writer Gerald Bourguet over his social media posts about Kirk's death. [83] [84] The Carolina Panthers fired football communications coordinator Charlie Rock after an Instagram story that referenced Kirk's death; the team said it "does not condone violence of any kind". [85] [86] Drew Harrison, a Sucker Punch Productions developer who worked on Ghost of Yōtei and worked for ten years on PlayStation Studios, was fired after sharing on social media that "I hope the shooter's name is Mario so that Luigi knows his bro got his back" — referencing the Mario franchise while associating Kirk's then unidentified killer with Luigi Mangione. In response, Sony Interactive Entertainment stated that Harrison was "no longer an employee of Sucker Punch Productions". [87]

Jimmy Kimmel Live! suspension
After FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned that ABC's broadcast license could be revoked, the network placed Jimmy Kimmel Live! on indefinite suspension. Brendan Carr, official portrait 2025.jpg
After FCC Chair Brendan Carr warned that ABC's broadcast license could be revoked, the network placed Jimmy Kimmel Live! on indefinite suspension.

ABC indefinitely suspended production of Jimmy Kimmel Live! following remarks made during host Jimmy Kimmel's September 15 broadcast, in which Kimmel said, "The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." [88] The suspension followed a suggestion by Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr that the FCC may revoke ABC affiliates' broadcasting licenses as punishment for Kimmel's remarks and came shortly after Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that they would pull the show from its ABC-affiliated stations. [88] Kimmel intended to address his comments on the show prior to the suspension. [89]

Jonathan Yerushalmy and Edward Helmore for The Guardian reported that "politicians, media figures and free speech organisations continued to express anger and alarm at the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show", highlighting shared concerns that "critics of Donald Trump were being systematically silenced". [90] Trump afterwards suggested that the FCC could revoke licenses if they aired overwhelmingly negative coverage of him. [91] Kimmel himself had previously expressed support for the firing of conservatives such as media personality Tucker Carlson. [92]

Celebrities who refuse to work with Disney over the firing include She-Hulk star Tatiana Masley, Damon Lindelof and Frances Fisher. [93] Calls to boycott Hulu and Disney+ circulated across social media. [94]

The ACLU called the move "beyond McCarthyism." The Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA called it an infringment of constitutional rights. [95] FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, the lone Democrat on the board, said in a statement, "This FCC does not have the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government dislikes." [96] [97]

Press

Media analyst Matthew Dowd was fired by MSNBC after he appraised Kirk as "one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions." [98] [99] A reporter in Florida was suspended for texting Congressional Representative Randy Fine immediately after the shooting to ask if it would prompt him to rethink his opposition to gun control. [100]

Karen Attiah was fired from The Washington Post after posting a paraphrased quote of Kirk as a direct quote on social media stating that Kirk said that Black women did not have "the brain processing power to be taken seriously" and need to "go steal a white person's slot to go be taken somewhat seriously". [101] Kirk's comment, made on July 13, 2023, did not explicitly refer to all Black women (including Attiah), but specific prominent Black women, naming Joy Reid, Michelle Obama, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. [102] [103]

Other sectors

Private companies such as Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers have terminated employees for posts deemed inappropriate, and major U.S. airlines American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines have all suspended employees for similar reasons. [104] [105] Nasdaq terminated a junior sustainability strategist for social media posts about Kirk, citing a "zero-tolerance policy toward violence and any commentary that condones or celebrates violence". [106]

Law firm Perkins Coie fired a lawyer "effective immediately" over a post criticizing Kirk after his killing, saying the conduct fell "far short" of firm expectations. [107] [108] The Broad Institute said an employee who posted a "deeply offensive" message about Kirk's assassination "is no longer employed" at the institute. [109] REMSA Health, an EMS provider, fired an employee over a social media post about Kirk that said did not reflect its mission. [110] Office Depot dismissed an employee after a viral video showed staff refusing to print a poster for a Kirk vigil, calling it "propaganda", [111] [112] and Attorney General Pam Bondi threatened to prosecute the fired employee. [113]

International

Brazil

Vogue Brasil stylist Zazá Pecego was fired on September 13 after sharing the phrase "I love when fascists die in agony" on her social media. She later said the phrase was meant to refer to former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro being convicted for attempting a coup in 2022, rather than refer to Kirk. [114] On the same day, physician Ricardo Barbosa was fired from a clinic in Recife after praising Kirk's shooter's "impeccable aim". [115] Journalist Eduardo Bueno had speeches, participation in events, and a podcast cancelled after praising that Kirk's children would "grow up without the presence of a disgusting, scoundrel, racist, homophobic person, linked to pedophile Donald Trump". [116] Bueno later apologized for the statement, claiming to be the target of an "orchestrated movement by far-right lawmakers"; he nevertheless once again reinforced his disdain for conservative leaders such as Trump, Marco Rubio , and Kirk himself, arguing the world without Kirk's presence "is a place that becomes better". [117]

Canada

A religious studies and political science professor from the University of Toronto was placed on leave after she made a comment on Twitter "shooting is honestly too good for so many of you fascist cunts". The university sent an email stating: "The faculty member is now on leave and not on campus. The matter is being looked into and the university will not be commenting further." [118] A Toronto District School Board teacher was also temporarily suspended after showing a video of Kirk's assassination to grade 5 and 6 students. [119]

Mexico

Salvador Ramírez, a congressional staffer from Mexico's ruling National Regeneration Movement (Morena), resigned after comments he made about Kirk having been given "a taste of his own medicine" (Spanish : una cucharada de su propio chocolate) on a Milenio Televisión discussion panel were brought to the attention of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Landau, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2019 to 2021, responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a reminder of the State Department's authority to revoke visas; he also rebuked the broadcaster, which subsequently issued an apology. [120] [121]

United Kingdom

The Oxford Union, a debating society, initiated disciplinary proceedings against its president-elect George Abaraonye, who had debated Kirk earlier in the year, after he posted comments appearing to celebrate Kirk's assassination. [122] [123]

Reactions to the disciplinary actions

In The New York Times , Adam B. Kushner reported the firings as part of a crackdown on free speech in the United States and investigative journalist Kenneth P. Vogel discussed "the emerging White House plan to use the federal government to crack down on the left-wing groups that it believes inspire political violence". [124] [125] An Axios article describes the firings as companies "reacting to pressure from Republican officials and right-wing activists and quickly firing anyone who attempts to justify or minimize the assassination of Charlie Kirk — or even criticize the slain conservative activist." [126] Axios says these firings "demonstrate fast-changing norms around free speech that many find troubling", indicating that employers are more closely monitoring their employees' social media posts. [126]

A Telegraph Online article echoes these criticisms, saying that while criticism of Kirk is not formally illegal, "what has emerged is a de facto enforcement system, carried out through corporate policies, viral tip-offs, and political pressure", also citing the chilling effect. [127] The article suggests that this is less about stopping violence than about policing speech, and goes on to say: "If meaningful free expression is to endure, society must scrutinize these cases, question who is punished and why, and revisit what protections workers really have. Otherwise, public discourse around volatile figures will become a minefield, where even legitimate criticism carries the risk of career destruction." [127]

Conservative podcaster and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson spoke out against the firings on The Tucker Carlson Show , stating that the Trump administration was using Kirk's death to trample on the First Amendment. He warned that if Kirk's death is used as leverage to bring hate speech laws into the United States, it would cause havoc and be a justified moment for civil disobedience. [128] During Trump's state visit to the United Kingdom, an article from The Independent touched on the hypocrisy and double standards of Trump and his administration pushing for and celebrating the firing and targeting of those that they felt were celebrating Kirk's death, while Trump spoke about the virtues of free speech and praised it during his speech at Windsor Castle during a state dinner. [129]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ahn, Ashley; Joselow, Maxine (September 11, 2025). "Where Charlie Kirk Stood on Key Political Issues". The New York Times . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  2. ↑ Banerjee, Shamik (September 11, 2025). "Charlie Kirk's beliefs: His opinions on religion, women, LGBTQ, racism and gun violence explained". Hindustan Times . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  3. ↑ Stein, Chris (September 12, 2025). "Charlie Kirk in his own words: 'prowling Blacks' and 'the great replacement strategy". The Guardian . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  4. ↑ Brandon, Alex (September 11, 2025). "Charlie Kirk told Kentucky crowd his work wasn't 'always safe' 3 months before his death". WDRB . Archived from the original on September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  5. ↑ Sykes, Jillian (September 10, 2025). "Charlie Kirk was answering a question about transgender mass shooters in America seconds before he was shot". CNN . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  6. ↑ Bal, Aaratrika (September 12, 2025). "'What the f*ck is wrong with these people?' - Piers Morgan shocked by people celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder on social media". Primetimer.com. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  7. ↑ Farber, Alex (September 12, 2025). "'Get JK Rowling next': Bluesky users celebrate death of Charlie Kirk". The Times . Archived from the original on September 14, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  8. ↑ Sanger, David (September 12, 2025). "Trump Downplays Violence on the Right and Says the Left Is the Problem". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 14, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Murder and Extremism in the United States in 2022". Anti-Defamation League (ADL). February 22, 2023. Archived from the original on June 17, 2025.
  10. ↑ Riccardi, Nicholas (September 14, 2025). "Blame game after acts of political violence can lead to further attacks, experts warn". AP News. Archived from the original on September 15, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 Nicholas, Peter (September 13, 2025). "Trump says he wants national healing — while blaming the 'radical left' as a barrier". NBC News . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  12. ↑ Kanno-Youngs, Zolan; Duehren, Andrew; Vogel, Kenneth P.; Rogers, Katie (September 16, 2025). "Trump Invokes Kirk's Killing in Justifying Measures to Silence Opponents". The New York Times . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  13. ↑ Rego, Max (September 16, 2025). "Rubio: Visa revocations 'underway' over Charlie Kirk assassination celebrations". The Hill . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Trump news at a glance: President claims people on 'the left' are under investigation after Kirk shooting". The Guardian . September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  15. ↑ Megerian, Chris; Mascaro, Lisa; Richer, Alanna Durkin (September 17, 2025). "Trump crackdown on 'radical left' after Charlie Kirk's death targets Soros, Indivisible". Fortune . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Trump Says Broadcasters Risk Losing Licenses when Hosts Criticize Him". The New York Times . September 18, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  17. ↑ Saad, Nardine; Morris, Regan (September 18, 2025). "Jimmy Kimmel taken off air over Charlie Kirk comments". BBC . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  18. ↑ Beauchamp, Zack (September 18, 2025). "Let's be clear about what happened to Jimmy Kimmel". Vox . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  19. ↑ Knutson, Jacob (September 15, 2025). "After Kirk Murder, Trump and Allies Vow to 'Destroy' Progressive Groups". Democracy Docket . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  20. ↑ Walsh, Joe; Yilek, Caitlin (September 18, 2025). "The crackdown on Charlie Kirk critics has ignited a free speech debate. Legal experts say it sets a dangerous precedent". CBS News . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  21. ↑ Walker, Josephine (September 15, 2025). "Thousands flagged to face 'consequences' for cheering Charlie Kirk's death". Axios . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  22. ↑ Coote, Darryl (September 13, 2025). "Trump admin. Warns non-citizens over remarks on Charlie Kirks' death". United Press International . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  23. ↑ Falconer, Rebecca (September 16, 2025). "'Not welcome': Rubio says U.S. Is deporting visa holders who celebrated Kirk's death". Axios . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  24. ↑ Jeyaretnam, Miranda (September 12, 2025). "Right Seeks to Cancel Charlie Kirk Commenters for Wrongspeak". Time . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  25. ↑ Reich, Robert (September 15, 2025). "Trump Has Now Entered Phase 2, Even More Dangerous Than Phase 1". Common Dreams . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  26. 1 2 "Stephen Miller Issues Chilling Threat over Charlie Kirk's Death". The New Republic . September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  27. ↑ Rubin, April (September 15, 2025). "Stephen Miller blames 'terrorist networks' for Kirk's death, stoking MAGA outrage". Axios . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  28. ↑ Gomez, Henry J. (September 15, 2025). "'We will do it in Charlie's name': Stephen Miller vows vengeance for Kirk's murder". NBC News . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  29. ↑ Bussewitz, Cathy; Grantham-Philips, Wyatte (September 14, 2025). "Workers commenting on Kirk's death learn the limits of free speech in and out of their jobs". AP News. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  30. ↑ Satter, Raphael; Vicens, A. J.; Satter, Raphael; Vicens, A. J. (September 13, 2025). "Charlie Kirk's allies warn Americans: Mourn him properly or else". Reuters . Archived from the original on September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  31. ↑ Campbell, Lucy (September 11, 2025). "US officials plan to punish foreigners 'making light of' Charlie Kirk death". The Guardian . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  32. ↑ Bowden, John (September 11, 2025). "Rubio's top deputy calls on social media to rat out 'foreigners who glorify violence' after Charlie Kirk killing". The Independent . Retrieved September 19, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. 1 2 Holmes, Oliver (September 16, 2025). "JD Vance backs mass 'doxing' campaign to find and harass Charlie Kirk critics". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  34. ↑ Riccardi, Nicholas; Konstantin, Toropin (September 15, 2025). "Trump administration joins Republicans' campaign to police speech in reaction to Kirk's murder". Associated Press . Archived from the original on September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  35. ↑ Gilbert, David (September 11, 2025). "Right-Wing Activists Are Targeting People for Allegedly Celebrating Charlie Kirk's Death". Wired. ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  36. ↑ Chidi, George (September 16, 2025). "Progressive groups fear 'McCarthy era' attacks in wake of Charlie Kirk shooting". The Guardian. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  37. ↑ Olmsted, Edith (September 15, 2025). "MAGA's Doxing War Over Charlie Kirk Is Already Going Off the Rails". The New Republic. ISSN   0028-6583 . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  38. ↑ Olmsted, Edith (September 11, 2025). "Alex Jones and Steve Bannon Warn Charlie Kirk's Death Means 'War'". The New Republic. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  39. ↑ "'We're in a war': Martina Navratilova calls out Alex Jones and Steve Bannon after Charlie Kirk shooting at Utah". The Times of India . September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  40. ↑ Gilbert, David (September 11, 2025). "Right-Wing Activists Are Targeting People for Allegedly Celebrating Charlie Kirk's Death". Wired . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  41. ↑ Frenkel, Sheera; Thompson, Stuart A. (September 12, 2025). "'Civil War' Mentions Surge Online After Kirk Assassination". The New York Times . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  42. ↑ Tanfani, Joseph; Parker, Ned; Shiffman, John (September 12, 2025). "Right-wing anger surges as Kirk's killing fuels calls for vengeance". Reuters . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  43. ↑ Steakin, Will (September 12, 2025). "After Charlie Kirk's killing, MAGA world mourns, but some say 'we're at war'". ABC News . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  44. ↑ Moritz-Rabson, Daniel (September 17, 2025). "Conservatives Are Using Charlie Kirk's Death to Enact Sweeping Speech Crackdown". Truthout . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  45. ↑ Ingram, David (September 16, 2025). "Musk's posts take a dark, inflammatory turn after Charlie Kirk killing". NBC News . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  46. ↑ Peters, Jay (September 13, 2025). "Elon Musk is trying to silence Microsoft employees who criticize Charlie Kirk". The Verge . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  47. ↑ Suter, Tara (September 14, 2025). "Musk: 'The left is the party of murder'". The Hill . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  48. ↑ "Elon Musk vs Hasan Piker: Elon's Limits on Free Speech". Hungarian Conservative. September 17, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  49. ↑ Edmonds, Lauren; Moses, Lucia (September 18, 2025). "Companies from ABC to Office Depot are disciplining employees for their public comments on Charlie Kirk's death". Business Insider . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  50. ↑ Gregorian, Dareh (September 16, 2025). "Attorney General Pam Bondi says DOJ will be 'targeting' people who use 'hate speech'". NBC News . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  51. ↑ Dixon, Matt (September 17, 2025). "Attorney General Pam Bondi faces backlash from the right over 'hate speech'". NBC News . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  52. ↑ Hendel, John; Bordelon, Brendan (September 16, 2025). "Carr splits from the GOP's social media crackdown after Kirk killing". Politico . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  53. ↑ "Tucker Carlson urges 'civil disobedience' if Trump DOJ targets hate speech". Newsweek . September 18, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  54. ↑ Maruf, Ramishah (September 13, 2025). "People are getting fired for allegedly celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder. It looks like a coordinated effort CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  55. ↑ Rogers, Katie; Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (September 15, 2025). "White House Plans Broad Crackdown on Liberal Groups". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  56. ↑ Iyer, Kaanita (September 18, 2025). "Vance says those who celebrate Charlie Kirk's death should face consequences as he ramps up criticism of the left". CNN. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  57. ↑ "Trump Invokes Kirk's Killing in Seeking to Silence Opponents on Left". The New York Times. September 17, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  58. ↑ "Trump's threat to target 'radical left' after Kirk killing raises fears he's trying to silence foes". ABC News. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  59. ↑ Kube, Courtney; Lee, Carol E. (September 12, 2025). "Hegseth tells Pentagon staff to hunt for negative Charlie Kirk posts by service members". Archived from the original on September 14, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  60. 1 2 3 4 5 Davis, Ellie; Escott, Gavin; Murphy, Claire (September 16, 2025). "Employees and Students at These Colleges Have Been Punished for Comments on Charlie Kirk's Death". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  61. 1 2 Whitford, Emma (September 12, 2025). "6 More Faculty, Staff Removed for Kirk Comments". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  62. ↑ Moody, Josh (September 17, 2025). "How College Leaders Responded to Activist's Slaying". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  63. ↑ Staff (September 12, 2025). "Teacher on leave for 'inflammatory' Charlie Kirk comments resigns from Cornelius city council". Fox 12 Oregon. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  64. ↑ "WNY teacher placed on leave after social media posts about Charlie Kirk". WGRZ-TV. September 13, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  65. ↑ "After Charlie Kirk's death, teachers and professors nationwide fired or disciplined over social media posts". NBC News. September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  66. ↑ "Statement from MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee". MTSU. September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  67. ↑ "Charlie Kirk death: MTSU fires employee over 'callous' comments". The Tennessean. September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  68. ↑ "Ole Miss employee fired over Charlie Kirk social media post". Mississippi Today. September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  69. ↑ "University of Mississippi Fires Employee for Sharing Post Criticizing Charlie Kirk". Mississippi Free Press. September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  70. ↑ "Clemson fires employee, suspends professors for social media posts mocking death of Charlie Kirk". SC Daily Gazette. September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  71. ↑ "2 more Clemson faculty members 'dismissed' over social posts about Charlie Kirk death". WYFF 4. September 16, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  72. ↑ "Clemson fires employee for Kirk posts; two more removed from teaching duties". The State. September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  73. ↑ "South Bay teacher faces discipline after playing Charlie Kirk assassination video in classroom". NBC 7 San Diego. September 16, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  74. ↑ Downing, Andy (September 16, 2025). "Targeted Ohio State professors on the damaging impact of Turning Point's 'professor watchlist'". Matter News. Matter News. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  75. ↑ Wyatt, Jamy (September 16, 2025). "Roughly 180 complaints filed against Texas teachers for alleged comments on killing of Charlie Kirk - MyParisTexas" . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  76. ↑ "Texas teachers' comments spark controversy—find out how". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. September 17, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  77. ↑ Boyer, Alex (September 16, 2025). "Governor Abbott condemns expelled students' behavior regarding Charlie Kirk death". Fox 4. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  78. ↑ Betts, Anna (September 17, 2025). "Texas State expels student for allegedly mocking Charlie Kirk shooting". The Guardian. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  79. ↑ Bolies, Corbin (September 11, 2025). "DC Comics Cancels Batman Spinoff 'Red Hood' After Writer Celebrates Charlie Kirk's Death". TheWrap . Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  80. ↑ Couch, Aaron (September 11, 2025). "DC Cancels 'Red Hood' Comic Book Series After Writer Shares Inflammatory Post Following Charlie Kirk Shooting". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 13, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  81. ↑ Heching, Dan (September 12, 2025). "DC cancels comic book series after writer posts about Charlie Kirk's death on social media". CNN . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  82. ↑ Rabiroff, Zach (September 12, 2025). "Horror 'It Girl' Gretchen Felker-Martin on DC pulling Red Hood after Charlie Kirk comments: 'I had no regrets'". The Comics Journal . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  83. ↑ Glasspiegel, Ryan (September 11, 2025). "Panthers Staffer, Suns Reporter Fired for Charlie Kirk Posts". Front Office Sports. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  84. ↑ "PHNX Sports Fires Suns Writer After Charlie Kirk Posts". Defector. September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  85. ↑ "Panthers fire employee for insensitive post about Charlie Kirk". Reuters . September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  86. ↑ "Panthers employee fired after posting controversial comments on Charlie Kirk's death". WRAL. September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  87. ↑ Gach, Ethan (September 12, 2025). "Ghost Of Yotei Dev Fired For Charlie Kirk Joke After Right-Wing Pressure Campaign". Kotaku . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  88. 1 2 Stelter, Brian; Wagmeister, Elizabeth; Reilly, Liam (September 17, 2025). "ABC yanks Jimmy Kimmel's show 'indefinitely' after remarks about Charlie Kirk". CNN. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  89. ↑ Koblin, John; Grynbaum, Michael M.; Barnes, Brooks. "ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Off Air for Charlie Kirk Comments After F.C.C. Pressure". The New York Times . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  90. ↑ Yerushalmy, Jonathan (September 18, 2025). "'Censoring you in real time': suspension of Jimmy Kimmel show sparks shock and fears for free speech". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  91. ↑ "Trump suggests networks' licenses could be pulled if they air mostly negative coverage of him". CNN . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  92. ↑ "When Jimmy Kimmel celebrated Tucker Carlson's exit from Fox; old video goes viral". The Times of India. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  93. ↑ Brooklyn, Cassandra (September 19, 2025). "Celebrities refuse to work with Disney and are encouraging a fan boycott until the Jimmy Kimmel show returns". creators.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  94. ↑ Blancaflor, Saleah (September 19, 2025). "Disney boycott: Will cancelling Hulu, ABC, or ESPN work?". Fast Company .
  95. ↑ Smith, Dave. "People are threatening to boycott Disney after ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel: 'Let's do to Disney what we did to Target'". Fortune. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  96. ↑ "FCC's Gomez on Jimmy Kimmel suspension". www.lightreading.com. September 18, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  97. ↑ "FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez on ABC's Decision to Capitulate to Government Pressure That Violates the First Amendment and Threatens Free Expression by Suspending Jimmy Kimmel". goldrushcam.com. Sierra Sun Times. September 19, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  98. ↑ Dunn, Jack (September 10, 2025). "MSNBC Apologizes for Analyst Matthew Dowd's Commentary on Charlie Kirk's Death: 'Insensitive and Unacceptable'". Variety . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  99. ↑ Sutherland, Callum (September 11, 2025). "MSNBC Apologizes Over Matthew Dowd's Charlie Kirk Commentary". Time . Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  100. ↑ Bauder, David; Swenson, Ali (September 11, 2025). "Matthew Dowd's firing begins flood of people facing consequences for their comments on Kirk's death". Associated Press .
  101. ↑ Baragona, Justin (September 15, 2025). "WaPo columnist says she was fired over 'unacceptable' Charlie Kirk social media posts". The Independent . Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  102. ↑ Stein, Chris (September 12, 2025). "Charlie Kirk in his own words: 'prowling Blacks' and 'the great replacement strategy'". The Guardian . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  103. ↑ Rascouët-Paz, Anna (September 12, 2025). "Charlie Kirk once said prominent Black women didn't have 'brain processing power' to be taken seriously". Snopes . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  104. ↑ Muntean, Pete (September 14, 2025). "Airlines suspend workers for posts about shooting of Charlie Kirk". CNN. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  105. ↑ "Airlines suspend workers over Kirk posts". News.com.au. September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  106. ↑ "Nasdaq fires employee over social media posts on Charlie Kirk shooting". Reuters . September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  107. ↑ Dayal, Mahira (September 14, 2025). "Perkins Coie Fires Attorney Over Social Media Post on Kirk Shooting". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  108. ↑ Weiss, Debra Cassens (September 15, 2025). "Perkins Coie lawyer is out of a job after post criticizing Charlie Kirk's politics after his shooting death". ABA Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  109. ↑ Fonseca, Camilo (September 12, 2025). "Broad Institute employee fired after posting 'deeply offensive' message on Charlie Kirk assassination". The Boston Globe . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  110. ↑ "Charlie Kirk social post leads to REMSA employee's firing". Reno Gazette Journal . September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  111. ↑ Forth, Stephanie (September 13, 2025). "Office Depot in Portage fires employee over refusal to print Charlie Kirk vigil poster". WWMT (News Channel 3). Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  112. ↑ "Office Depot employee fired for refusing to print Charlie Kirk vigil poster". NBC Chicago . September 13, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  113. ↑ Fields, Ashleigh (September 16, 2025). "Bondi threatens charges over Office Depot employee who wouldn't print Charlie Kirk flyers". The Hill . Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  114. ↑ "Vogue Brasil demite stylist após post ser associado à morte de Charlie Kirk" [Vogue Brazil fires stylist after post is linked to Charlie Kirk's death]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  115. ↑ Diniz, Fernanda (September 13, 2025). "Clínica no Recife demite médico que comemorou assassinato de Charlie Kirk" [Recife clinic fires doctor who celebrated Charlie Kirk's murder]. Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  116. ↑ "Postagens sobre morte de Charlie Kirk provocam demissões" [Posts about Charlie Kirk's death lead to layoffs]. Deutsche Welle (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  117. ↑ "Eduardo Bueno se retrata após ter evento cancelado por ironizar morte de Charlie Kirk" [Eduardo Bueno apologizes after event canceled for mocking Charlie Kirk's death]. Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). September 14, 2025. Archived from the original on September 18, 2025.
  118. ↑ "University of Toronto professor on leave after Charlie Kirk comments draw backlash". Global News . September 14, 2025. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  119. ↑ Thayaparan, Arrthy (September 17, 2025). "Toronto teacher under investigation after allegedly showing video related to Charlie Kirk shooting: TDSB". CBC News . Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  120. ↑ Olivares, José (September 13, 2025). "Mexican congressional staffer resigns after TV comments about Charlie Kirk". The Guardian . Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  121. ↑ "¿Qué dijo Salvador Ramírez para renunciar como coordinador de Morena en San Lázaro?". El Financiero . September 15, 2025.
  122. ↑ Ferguson, Donna (September 13, 2025). "President-elect of Oxford Union to face disciplinary proceedings for Charlie Kirk remarks". The Guardian . Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  123. ↑ Davies, Maia (September 12, 2025). "Oxford Union condemns president-elect's reported Charlie Kirk posts". BBC News . Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  124. ↑ Kushner, Adam B. (September 16, 2025). "How the Government Is Trying to Silence Charlie Kirk's Critics". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  125. ↑ Barbaro, Michael (September 17, 2025). "The Plan to Turn Charlie Kirk's Murder Into a Crackdown on the Left". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  126. 1 2 Peck, Emily; Hawkins, Eleanor (September 16, 2025). "What's different about the Charlie Kirk firings". Axios. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  127. 1 2 Levy, Jaffa (September 16, 2025). "The Chilling Effect: How Criticism of Charlie Kirk Is Being Policed in the United States". Telegraph Online. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  128. ↑ Lubin, Rhian (September 18, 2025). "Tucker Carlson says Trump administration is using Charlie Kirk's killing to trample First Amendment". The Independent. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  129. ↑ Walters, Simon (September 18, 2025). "The breathtaking hypocrisy of the Jimmy Kimmel affair". The Independent. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.