'You shouldn't be employed: Pam Bondi vows crackdown on hate speech; cites Kirk killing

Attorney General Pam Bondi has warned that hate speech will lead to prosecution, drawing a sharp line between what she described as free speech and hateful expression. Speaking on The Katie Miller Podcast on Monday, Bondi said, “There’s free speech and then there’s hate speech. We will absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech, anything — and that’s across the aisle.”

She argued that such speech had no place in society, particularly following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week. “You can’t have that hate speech in the world in which we live. There is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie, in our society,” she said.

Bondi later appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity to clarify, saying, “We all believe in the First Amendment ,” but added that those making “horrible things” about Kirk online should face consequences. “It’s free speech, but you shouldn’t be employed anywhere if you’re going to say that. And employers, you have an obligation to get rid of people.”

While some conservatives criticised Bondi for overreach, others in the administration pressed ahead with tougher measures. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that visa revocations were already under way for foreigners who celebrated Kirk’s assassination. “America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens,” he said, confirming that deportations were being prepared. He later wrote on X: “If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported.”

Rubio’s stance, backed by senior State Department officials, has widened the debate over whether the government is moving too far in policing speech, or responding proportionately to the killing of one of Trump’s most visible allies.