Delta has suspended several employees over social media posts about the murder of Charlie Kirk, pending investigation.

Delta Suspends Employees Over Charlie Kirk Murder Comments

Following the September 10, 2025 killing of political activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, Delta Air Lines says it identified employee social media posts about the incident that violated company policy. In an internal memo circulated on September 13, 2025, CEO Ed Bastian told staff that the employees involved have been suspended while the company investigates and that violations of Delta’s social media policy can lead to termination.

“No one better connects the world” isn’t just a catchphrase — it’s our mission. For 100 years, Delta people have been known for our spirit of service, making the world better one customer at a time.

Whether we’re in uniform and on the clock, online or out in public, our colleagues, customers and communities expect us to reflect Delta’s values — integrity, care and servant leadership — that we hold dear.

This week we were made aware of Delta employees whose social media content, related to the recent murder of activist Charlie Kirk, went well beyond healthy, respectful debate. These social posts stand in stark contrast to our values and our social media policy, and these employees have been suspended pending an investigation. Violations of our social media policy can carry meaningful consequences, including termination.

Remember that we all represent Delta, at all times, in any forum. It’s essential that we act in ways that uphold our shared values and the human connection that defines us.

Thank you for all you do, every day, to take care of our customers and each other.

Delta has not disclosed how many employees were suspended.

The Posts In Question

To properly address them, I think it’s important we look at some of the posts that have stirred so much controversy.

Douglas Gibbs is a Delta pilot. He quoted Kirk on gun control and then added an incendiary final remark on Facebook:

Here’s a comment from Captain Sydney Katherine Farruzi, who called Kirk’s death “karma” and said, “I’m torn between decrying political violence, and celebrating a dead nazi.”

He was later asked why he had no empathy for Kirk’s death, and responded in this way:

Finally, here’s a post from Teri Lyn Poulton, another Delta pilot, with a response from Farruzi:

There are more, but you get the idea. As an aside, Horst Wessel was a member of the Sturmabteilung, the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, who became a propaganda symbol in Nazi Germany following his murder in 1930 by two members of the Communist Party of Germany.

Delta Employees Have No Free Speech Rights…

Before I offer my analysis on this, let’s make one thing clear: the 1st Amendment guarantee of free speech protects citizens from the government proscribing or prosecuting free speech. It does not obligate private companies to provide a platform for speech, nor does it shield employees from workplace consequences when their words contradict a company’s stated values or policies.

Employers, especially highly visible ones like Delta, reserve the right to discipline employees for conduct deemed harmful to the brand or inconsistent with corporate standards. That includes speech outside the workplace when it crosses into territory the company considers damaging.

This distinction is critical. Free speech in the constitutional sense means the government cannot silence you. It does not mean you are free from accountability, whether in the public sphere or in your place of employment.

A Sad State Of Affairs

I find the current state of public discourse in America to be deplorable. Anyone celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk is a disgusting human being. Period.

But quoting Kirk on gun control? Fair game. Quoting Krik on empathy? Fair game. America needs to have a difficult conversation on speech, violence, tolerance, civil liberties, and respect. Politics is like a big circle, with the “far left” and “far right” (both labels are superficial) meeting at a mutual point of hatred and intolerance.  It should be no surprise when the chickens come home to roost.

While the government cannot prohibit free speech or lock you up for celebrating the death of Kirk, that doesn’t mean your employer cannot. Seeking to “cancel” those who spew venomous hate is understandable, though I hope those advocating for such action remember what goes around comes around and that the pot calling the kettle black is not a good look. Having a respectful but difficult conversation over the very unstable political situation in America or even the irony of Kirk’s own words, should not bring out the mob.

I have a lot more to say on the death of Charlie Kirk, which we will discuss in the coming days. I again emphasize that political violence is unacceptable and I mourn his passing and grieve for his wife and kids. I hope that if proven guilty, Tyler Robinson is swiftly executed by firing squad.

CONCLUSION

Delta has suspended employees over social media posts about Charlie Kirk’s murder and is conducting investigations under its policy. The airline has not said how many workers are affected or how long the process will take. We can debate the content of these posts, but any posts that cheer on violence or appear to celebrate murder are fair game for Delta to scrutinize, especially when employees may indicate their affiliation with Delta in the same social media accounts. Whatever invisible lines exist between reasonable and unreasonable, saying “rest in piss” or “thoughts and prayers MFer” is the sort of hateful speech that Delta is within its right to punish.