A controversy at a New Jersey hospital has ended with the resignation of a physician accused of celebrating conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, while the nurse who reported him has been cleared to return to work.
Englewood Health confirmed to Fox News Digital that it accepted the resignation of Dr. Matthew Jung following its internal investigation into an incident on September 10.
Nurse Lexi Kuenzle, 33, had accused Jung of making shocking remarks in front of staff and patients — openly “cheering and celebrating” Kirk’s murder, allegedly saying the conservative commentator “deserved it” and “had it coming.”
Kuenzle, a self-described fan of Kirk, said she felt she had no choice but to speak out. “Speaking up wasn’t optional for me; it was my duty as a nurse to protect patients from that kind of cruelty and to uphold the integrity of our profession,” she said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
I was just fired from my job (again) for my conservative beliefs.
They tried to silence me, but I won’t stay quiet. Here’s why I’m speaking out — and what comes next. pic.twitter.com/mo1P54WlDa
— Kangmin Lee | 이강민 (@kangminjlee) October 1, 2025
After reporting Jung, Kuenzle was suspended by the hospital — a move she later challenged in a lawsuit, arguing the suspension was “unjust” and “unlawful.” Represented by attorney John-Paul Deol of the Dhillon Law Group, she appeared on Fox & Friends to press her case.
Now, the hospital says Kuenzle will remain employed and won’t lose any pay. “The nurse was never fired; was never told she would be fired by Englewood Hospital; and will not miss any pay as part of our review of this matter,” a spokesperson said, emphasizing that the institution “is committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all.”
Deol said they were “pleased” with the resolution but indicated more work remains: “We will be working with the hospital to resolve the remaining details.”
At least for Englewood Health, the immediate fallout is settled: the doctor is gone, the nurse is back, and the hospital is signaling it wants to move on. But the episode underscores a deeper tension that won’t disappear with one resignation — the collision of politics and professionalism in settings that ought to remain above the fray.
