An Office Depot employee in Michigan was terminated after refusing to print posters for a vigil honoring conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, sparking outrage from Republicans and calls for a nationwide boycott, the Daily Mail reported.
Kirk, 31, the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA and a father of two, was fatally shot Wednesday during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem.
Ahead of a vigil in Portage, Michigan, the Kalamazoo County Republican Party ordered posters featuring Kirk's image and the words "The Legendary Charlie Kirk."
But hours after the order, organizers received a call from a store supervisor named Beryl, who refused to complete the request, labeling the content "political propaganda."
Republican activist and attorney Matthew DePerno posted a receipt for the canceled $56.17 order on X, calling out Office Depot for "blatant political bias." He also shared a video in which he confronted store employees about the decision.
One manager in the footage defended the refusal, saying the location "doesn't print political propaganda." DePerno responded that the materials were for a prayer vigil, not a political rally.
Another woman asked the manager to clarify why it was considered propaganda. The manager replied, "Because he's a political figure and I don't have to ..." before stopping mid-sentence.
DePerno later wrote that FedEx printed the same poster free of charge, with staff apologizing for the situation. His post quickly drew thousands of views and widespread criticism of Office Depot.
Conservatives on social media amplified the story, with accounts such as Libs of TikTok blasting the company. "HOLY CRAP. A customer put in an order and paid for a poster for a vigil for Charlie. @officedepot REFUSED to print it because they said it's 'propaganda.' WTF @officedepot?!" the post read.
Other users urged people to "sell your Office Depot stock" or to join a boycott, calling the refusal "anti-American." Global entrepreneur Inga Springman also weighed in, urging Americans to avoid the chain.
Facing growing backlash, Office Depot issued an apology on X within hours.
"The behavior displayed by our associate is completely unacceptable and insensitive, violates our company policies, and does not reflect the values we uphold at Office Depot," the company wrote.
Executives confirmed the employee was terminated following an internal review and said training would be reinforced across all stores. The company added that it had reached out to the customer directly to ensure the order was fulfilled, though it did not clarify whether a refund was issued.
"We sincerely apologize to the customer affected and to our community for this regrettable situation," the statement read. "Our customers and communities deserve nothing less."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.