Penn Earth and Environmental Science professor Michael Mann faced criticism for social media activity — including reposts and a since-deleted post of his own — regarding the assassination of conservative media personality and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Mann's comments on social media — including reposting a message that called Kirk "the head of Trump's Hitler Youth" — faced backlash from prominent conservative pundits and social media commentators, including Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.). The posts have since been deleted.
McCormick’s remarks came following a post by Mann that read, “The white on white violence has gotten out of hand.” Mann also reposted several posts from other users criticizing Ezra Klein's New York Times column on the event, which was titled "Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way."
“This is despicable behavior,” McCormick wrote on X. “This dangerous rhetoric cannot and will not be tolerated. I unequivocally condemn this behavior and demand UPenn to take immediate, decisive action.”
A University spokesperson declined to comment.
"It is very disappointing that Senator McCormick has mis-portrayed me in this way, let alone made such inflammatory demands," Mann wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
Mann — who also serves as the University's inaugural vice provost for climate science, policy, and action — acknowledged that he "should have been more circumspect about the reposts given the incendiary social media environment in the wake of this tragic event."
"I was not criticizing Charlie Kirk. I was criticizing those who were lionizing him as a paragon of free speech and good faith discourse," Mann added.
Mann later deleted the posts, writing on X, "I do NOT approve of the inappropriate & inflammatory language used to describe Kirk."
"I was simply agreeing w/ the (widespread) criticism of Ezra Klein's claim that Kirk was 'practicing politics the right way,'" Mann's post stated.
