Army Colonel Scott Stephens has been suspended following public backlash over comments he made on social media regarding the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk.
Kirk was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University, in an incident that was widely shared across social media platforms. A graphic video of the shooting depicted Kirk being struck in the neck, with witnesses describing a chaotic and disturbing scene.
In a now-deleted social media post, Colonel Stephens criticized Kirk, stating:
“The death of Charlie Kirk in Utah was tragic. However, we can take comfort in the fact that Charlie was doing what he loved best – spreading messages of hate, racism, homophobia, misogyny and transphobia on college campuses. … I would offer empathy, but Charlie hated empathy. As we have been told in the wake of so many other tragedies, we have to move on. We can’t make this political.”
Stephens’ remarks sparked immediate backlash online. One Facebook user responded, “He did not deserve to be assassinated. What happened to freedom of speech? It isn’t political. It’s evil.” Stephens replied, referencing Kirk’s rhetoric:
“[Charlie] spent years inciting political violence to die the victim of it. Tragic, for sure… But everyone shouldn’t be shocked when the leopards actually eat your face.”
Critics accused Stephens of celebrating Kirk’s death and targeting his family, including his wife, Erika Kirk, and their two children. The colonel’s comments were widely condemned as inappropriate and unprofessional, especially given his position in the U.S. military.
Last week, Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed concerns about military personnel and civilian employees expressing approval of political violence.
“The Department of War has zero tolerance for it,” said department spokesperson Sean Parnell, confirming the agency is monitoring such cases closely.
Colonel Stephens was suspended shortly after his post came to the department’s attention. No further disciplinary actions have been publicly announced at this time.