A U.S. Marine has been dismissed after making shocking social media comments celebrating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Captain Jacoby Williamson, who joined the Marines in 2013, posted an Instagram story mocking Kirk shortly after the shooting in Utah.
Vile Post
Williamson shared a screenshot of Kirk speaking on “DEI in the cockpit” and captioned it: “Another racist man popped,” followed by a beer-toast emoji.
The post quickly drew outrage after being highlighted by the LibsOfTikTok account, which tagged Pete Hegseth, asking him to take action.
“Hi @PeteHegseth, can you please fire this lunatic?” the account wrote.
Lt. Col. Joshua Benson, a spokesman for the Marines, told USA Today the service was investigating.
Captain Jacoby Williamson
“The Marine in question has been relieved of his recruiting duties, and the matter is currently under investigation,” Benson said.
Williamson is the latest to lose his position after making inflammatory remarks about Kirk’s death.
Pentagon Response
Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed Williamson’s removal in a statement on X.
“It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American,” Parnell said.
“The Department of War has zero tolerance for it.”
Hegseth’s Warning
Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth responded by putting military members on notice.
“We are tracking all these very closely — and will address, immediately. Completely unacceptable,” Hegseth wrote.
Pete Hegseth
He added that such behavior will be met with swift consequences.
Hegseth paid tribute to Kirk shortly after the assassination.
“Prayers for Charlie Kirk. An incredible Christian, American, and human being. May the healing hand of Jesus Christ be upon him,” he wrote.
After Kirk’s passing was confirmed, he added: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Secret Service Agent on Leave
The backlash has also reached the Secret Service.
Agent Anthony Pough, 36, was placed on leave after posting that Kirk’s death was “karma.”
“If you are Mourning this guy … delete me,” he wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post.
Pough added: “At the end of the day, you answer to GOD and speak things into existence. You can only circumvent karma, she doesn’t leave.”
His comments drew swift condemnation and a promise of disciplinary review.
“The US Secret Service will not tolerate behavior that violates our code of conduct,” the agency said.
The Assassination
Charlie Kirk, 31, was speaking to about 3,000 people at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
He was answering a question on gun violence when a shot rang out from a rooftop roughly 200 yards away.
The bullet struck him in the neck, sending him to the ground in front of the audience.
