The Pentagon is tracking the social media accounts of service members and War Department employees for messages celebrating or mocking the death of GOP activist Charlie Kirk.

War Chief Pete Hegseth said in a post on social media Thursday that his department would hold accountable those under its pay who have posted offensive messages about Kirk’s assassination earlier this week.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Thursday: “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.”

Hegseth responded to the post: “We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable.”

We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable. https://t.co/9weALT5Pb7

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) September 11, 2025

After Kirk was murdered by an assassin on Wednesday, some parts of social media were flooded with messages mocking the Turning Point USA founder and celebrating the 31-year-old’s death.

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is one of the most notable figures to bash Kirk after his murder. The congresswoman from Minnesota claimed during an interview with Mehdi Hasan this week that Kirk “was willing to debate and downplay the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police … downplay slavery and what black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth should never exist.”

Omar said she has “empathy” for Kirk’s widow and children, but not for the conservative activist.

Others have faced consequences for making similar statements, such as former Middle Tennessee State University Associate Dean of Students Laura Sosh-Lightsy, who wrote on social media: “Looks like ol’ Charlie spoke his fate into existence. Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy.”

Sosh-Lightsy was fired on Wednesday.

Hegseth’s promise to hold those under the Department of War to a standard of civility over Kirk’s death comes after the DeSantis administration in Florida threatened similar action against educators who openly celebrate Kirk’s death on social media.

Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas sent a memo to educators across the state warning that he “will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”

Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Saturday that investigators believe suspected Charlie Kirk assassin, Tyler Robinson, was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”

“It’s very clear to us and to the investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology,” Cox told The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal report noted that Robinson “lived much of life on the internet.” His mother said that by age 15, Robinson was dressing up as “some guy from a meme” for Halloween.

Cox has previously revealed that Robinson’s family members told investigators that the 22-year-old, who did not have a registered political party affiliation, had become more political over the last few years. At a recent dinner, Robinson discussed Kirk’s upcoming appearance at an outdoor event on the Utah Valley campus in Orem, and talked about why he didn’t like Kirk or his conservative ideology.

Additionally, recovered bullet casings found with the apparent murder weapon had anti-fascist engravings, Cox said. One casing read, “Hey Fascist! Catch!” and another included the lyrics from a famous Italian anti-fascist song called “Bella Ciao.”

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox confirmed writings on bullet casings of Charlie Kirk’s killer, Tyler Robinson:

– Notices bulges, OWO what’s this?
– Hey Fascist! Catch!
– Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao ciao ciao
– If you read this you are gay LMAO#CharlieKirk #TylerRobinson pic.twitter.com/bi3eghpBG4

— CapitolModerate (@CapitolModerate) September 12, 2025

Kirk, 31, was assassinated while answering questions at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The politico had massive influence with young conservatives, having founded Turning Point USA at just 18 years old. He was widely known for routinely speaking openly about his Christian faith.

Cox said during a Friday presser that Kirk’s assassination could be a “turning point” on whether the country would embrace free and open debate or turn to political violence.

“This is certainly about the tragic death, assassination, political assassination, of Charlie Kirk,” the governor said. “But it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us. 
It is an attack on the American experiment. It is an attack on our ideals. This cuts to the very foundation of who we are, of who we have been, and who we could be in better times.”

“Political violence is different than any other type of violence, for lots of different reasons,” Cox added. “One, because in the very act that Charlie championed of expression, that freedom of expression that is enshrined in our founding documents, in having his life taken in that very act makes it more difficult for people to feel like they can share their ideas, that they can speak freely.”

Related: ‘We’ll Never Surrender’: Erika Kirk Gives Emotional, Fiery Address Following Husband’s Assassination