Mass Firings Follow Charlie Kirk Assassination Posts
In the aftermath of far-right activist Charlie Kirk's assassination in September 2025, a sweeping wave of terminations and disciplinary actions has impacted over 600 Americans. These individuals, who posted critical or celebratory remarks about Kirk's death on personal social media accounts, now find themselves embroiled in legal battles asserting their constitutional right to free speech.
Sheriff's Deputy Julie Strebe's Ordeal
Julie Strebe, a 55-year-old sheriff's deputy from Salem, Missouri, discovered her career unraveling while on a date with her husband at Buffalo Wild Wings. Her personal Facebook post stating "Empathy is not owed to oppressors" following Kirk's death triggered a firestorm. Online critics labeled her a "wacko" with "extreme mental health issues," while locals expressed fears she might target MAGA hat wearers during traffic stops.
"I've been a cop for 19 years," Strebe explains from her home. "I believe that everybody should be treated fairly. And this one statement was completely just twisted." Despite offering to remove the posts, Strebe faced suspension and eventual termination. Her superiors cited posting during work hours without disclaimers as grounds, though she maintains the decision resulted from "mob mentality."
Organized Campaign Against Critics
The backlash was amplified by prominent conservative voices. Vice President JD Vance, while guest-hosting Kirk's podcast, urged listeners: "When you see someone celebrating Charlie's murder, call them out. And, hell, call their employer." A website titled Charlie Kirk's Murderers compiled names and personal information of alleged offenders, facilitating complaints to employers despite the site's subsequent decommissioning.
By November 2025, Reuters estimated 600 people had been terminated, disciplined, investigated, suspended, or otherwise admonished for their Kirk-related posts. The scale has drawn comparisons to an ideological purge, with victims ranging from public employees to private sector workers.
Legal Challenges Mount
Philadelphia attorney Greg Greubel of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has taken up several cases. "The fallout from this was easy to predict, unfortunately," Greubel notes. "Within 24 hours we started seeing calls for terminations." His organization reviewed over 200 cases, with numbers continuing to climb.
One prominent case involves Monica Meeks, fired from Tennessee's Department of Commerce and Insurance for calling Kirk a "White Supremacist" on Facebook. Her employer claimed she "revealed bias and disregard toward the very people she was tasked with serving," despite her 20-year Army veteran status and impeccable record. Greubel filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in December 2025, seeking reinstatement and damages.
Teachers, Professors, and Professionals Targeted
South Carolina attorney Jack Cohoon represents Lauren Vaughn, a teachers' aide terminated for merely quoting Kirk's own words about gun violence on her personal Facebook. Her school district claimed she violated social media policies requiring "respectful and professional" communications, yet Freedom of Information Act requests revealed no written complaints against her.
"They were anticipating harassment in advance," Cohoon observes. "It's a sacrifice to the wolves." Other casualties include a University of Mississippi staffer terminated for calling Kirk a "reimagined Klan member," a UCLA faculty member suspended for stating "You can't force people to mourn someone who hated us," and MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd, who lost his job after commenting on air about hateful thoughts leading to actions.
Contract Workers and International Repercussions
Writer Gretchen Felker-Martin, who identifies as a "dirty communist transexual," had her DC Comics contract terminated after calling Kirk a "Nazi bitch" on Bluesky. DC Comics stated her posts' tone, not her personal views, concerned them, though Felker-Martin accuses the company of cowardice. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported six unidentified foreigners had U.S. visas revoked for post-Kirk remarks, with the State Department declaring: "Aliens who take advantage of America's hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed."
Hypocrisy and Historical Parallels
Historian Mark Bray, author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook and featured on Turning Point USA's "radical professors" watchlist, notes the irony. "The far right screams free-speech absolutism," Bray says from exile in Spain after receiving death threats. "And yet they're trying to shut down all kinds of speech." He identifies this contradiction as characteristic of fascist movements historically dismissing rational consistency as bourgeois or effeminate.
Greubel identifies a tit-for-tat culture, recalling conservatives facing backlash after George Floyd's murder and seeing Kirk's death as an opportunity for revenge. "There's a race-to-the-bottom element to all of this," he says. "It's a real problem, writ large, in America."
Moving Forward Despite Adversity
Despite the challenges, many affected individuals are rebuilding. Felker-Martin is pursuing new publishing opportunities, Bray's book sales have increased, and Strebe is interviewing for jobs in politically sympathetic counties while considering legal action on principle. "I was not even a deputy for the money," Strebe asserts. "It's the principle for me."
Cohoon emphasizes the importance of legal battles: "I think it's essential that some of these individuals fight it out in court. That's the only way the first amendment can be vindicated." As cases progress through the judicial system, they promise to test the boundaries of free speech in the digital age and employer authority over personal expression.
