(NewsNation) — A U.S. Secret Service employee has been placed on administrative leave after violating the agency’s code of conduct in a social post about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
In a statement to NewsNation, the agency said, “The U.S. Secret Service will not tolerate behavior that violates our code of conduct. This employee was immediately put on administrative leave, and an investigation has begun.”
On Thursday, Sen. Marsha Blackburn released a letter she had written to the agency calling for “this agent’s immediate termination” after they suggested on Facebook that Kirk deserved to be murdered.
In response, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell posted on social media: “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.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said his team is tracking similar posts “very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable.”
Officials with the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marine Corps and National Guard also issued social media statements saying they are aware of “inappropriate comments being made by some on social media,” and added that “such comments are reprehensible, tasteless and out of line with our values.”