'Very headhunter-like': US troops fear for job amid crackdown over Charlie Kirk posts, says report

US troops are getting increasingly wary about what they are allowed to say after the Pentagon announced a crackdown on those who are found mocking Charlie Kirk’s death.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, along with other military high-ranking officials, have become extremely critical of posts about the right-wing activist’s death after influencers flagged that service members are making negative comments about Kirk.

The Trump administration has been taking tough moves amid Kirk’s death, who was fatally shot last week at an event in Utah. Posts and live comments are being monitored to check whether Kirk is being disrespected in any way.

According to a report by Politico, several service members have been fired or punished in the past couple of days over social media posts that did not outrightly attack the slain activist.

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“Dangerous territory and very headhunter-like. People are getting swept up for anything that is ‘woke.’” a defence official told the outlet.

The overt political undertone has alarmed both civilian employees and service members, who swear an oath to the Constitution, not to any political leader. According to more than half a dozen troops and defence officials, some now fear they could face politically driven repercussions for posts perceived as disloyal to President Donald Trump.

Is the military turning political?

Days following Kirk’s shooting, Vice President JD Vance announced the purge of officials who mock his death. Now, the rule has seeped into the military, with the Air Force announcing new social media guidelines about what troops could say online.

Unlike other federal employees, active-duty service members are subject to strict regulations on speech. The Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits them from making political statements or participating in rallies and fundraisers while in uniform. It also forbids making derogatory remarks about the chain of command.

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Rachel VanLandingham, a retired Air Force officer and military lawyer, said, “We see abuse of these reasonable speech restrictions that have long been upheld to instead instill a culture of fear and intimidation. I fear it will turn the military from being an apolitical institution to being a political one.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live! taken off air

The famous ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air indefinitely over his comments on the shooting of right-wing activist and US President Donald Trump’s ally, Charlie Kirk. “Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely,” a spokesperson for the Disney-owned network said in a statement to the BBC.

During a monologue on Monday night, Kimmel said the “Maga gang” was trying to score political points off Kirk’s murder. The remarks from the comedian came a day before 22-year-old Tyler Robinson appeared in court and was charged with aggravated murder over last Wednesday’s shooting of the 31-year-old conservative influencer.