Both Delta Air Lines and American Airlines say they have suspended workers for social media posts about last week’s fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.
“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,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in an internal memo shared with CNN.
“These social posts stand in stark contrast to our values and our social media policy, and these employees have been suspended pending an investigation,” Bastian said in the memo.
In a statement, American Airlines says some employees who posted to “promote such violence on social media were immediately removed from service.”
The moves are among the latest corporate blowback on workers following pressure from the Trump administration to fire those who “were caught celebrating the assassination.”
“This behavior is disgusting and they should be fired,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X Saturday. “Any company responsible for the safety of the traveling public cannot tolerate that behavior.”
United Airlines also sent a memo to pilots reminding them of the company’s social media policy. It is not clear if United has terminated or suspended any workers. CNN has reached out to the airline for comment.
“As a good rule of thumb, if something is not appropriate to be said at work, it would also not be appropriate to convey via social media when the comments can be connected to your employment at United Airlines,” the memo to pilots said.
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