Michaela Ponce Enloe Health worker causes havoc after berating Chico Target worker wearing ‘Freedom’ t-shirt amid intensifying demands to have the TikToker fired. She has since issued an apology. But there is a very happy ending.
Demands to have a nurse doubling as a TikToker be fired from her medical center employer in California have amplified following viral video showing them berating a Chico Target worker wearing a ‘Freedom’ t-shirt at work.
Michaela Ponce has become the subject of intense fervor amid demands that Enloe Health where she works fire the nurse after video showed her harassing Chico Target worker, Jeanie Beeman earlier this week.
‘Why the f*** would you wear that? Are you racist?’
In the video, viewed millions of times on TikTok and X, Michelea Ponce accuses the employee of supporting a ‘racist,’ while donning the shirt, with the words ‘Freedom’ and ‘Charlie Kirk’ on the front along with a white American flag.
‘They let you wear that shirt here? Why are you wearing that shirt? You’re working.’ Moving closer to the visibly uncomfortable worker, the TikToker continues, ‘Why the f*** would you wear that? You’re at work. At Target…You support a racist,’ Ponce says, moving the camera so that Beeman’s outfit could be seen from all angles.
‘It’s a Charlie Kirk shirt. Are you f***ing stupid?’
Beeman in turn calmly responds, ‘I’m sorry but I’m not going to engage in an argument with you. Have a nice day,’ before walking away while stocking shirts.
The ‘freedom t-shirt’ was popularized by conservative commentator, Charlie Kirk. The Turning Point USA founder was wearing a white version of the tee on September 10, when he was fatally shot at Utah Valley University.
Internet sleuths soon went to work before identifying the person who made the clip as Michelea Ponce, identified as an employee with Enloe Health, a popular healthcare brand in California.
Ponce, in turn deleted her social media after the video spread. Enloe Health stated Chico police were investigating the incident, which disrupted hospital operations with incoming calls. Police, describing the incident as an ’emotional’ matter later said they would not be pursuing charges against the Tiktoker .
🚨 BREAKING: Police are now INVESTIGATING the incident where leftist woman Michelea Ponce harassed and berated an old lady for wearing a Charlie Kirk shirt while working in Target.
Ponce’s employer says police are investigating and that they’ve been FLOODED with calls.
GOOD!… pic.twitter.com/wNUgpHWj1M
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 17, 2025
Enloe Health CEO admits episode causing havoc
The episode led to the medical center being overwhelmed by thousands of ‘profanity-laced’ messages.
Mike Wiltermood, the president and CEO of Enloe Health, said at a press conference Wednesday that the medical center had received more than 6,000 ‘profanity-laced’ messages since the video going viral.
Wiltermood pleaded with the public to stop calling the center’s primary phone number, as the repeated calls ‘impeded our ability to serve patients and their families.’
Wiltermood praised the Target worker for her own calm response and condemned his own employee’s ‘off-hours’ behavior.
‘As a human being, I’m sorry she went through that, and I admire her resilience,’ Wiltermood said.
‘This isn’t about politics. This is about how we treat each other, and decorum,’ he added.
Wiltermood declined to share if the enraged Enloe staffer was fired and noted that it is against the company’s policy to divulge ‘comments or statements’ about such personal matters.
Internet rages demanding that Enloe Health worker be fired
Nevertheless demands were made to oust the worker on the web.
Wrote one user, ‘Those arguing that it is a “freedom of speech” matter and, as such, the offender shouldn’t be terminated are missing a key point. Freedom of speech does not guarantee a freedom from consequences. You’re fired.’
Stated another, ‘You are correct about free speech. However, an employer can still act in the best interests of the business and terminate someone who’s actions at business or in public are detrimental to their business.’
Reflected another, ‘What’s to say the nurse will refuse to tend to a patient if she finds out that they vote Republican? Or worse, wear a garment not to her liking!’ Fire this huge liability!!!!’
Asked if Ponce should be fired, Beeman told Action News Now. ‘Two wrongs don’t make a right, you know. She wronged me, but I don’t want to wrong her, or I don’t want her — her wrong, because it’s not going to make it right.’
Michaela Ponce issues apology while surprise awaits Chico Target worker
Ponce has since issued an apology, in part, stating, ‘I want to take full responsibility for my actions and say clearly and sincerely that I was wrong. I behaved badly, and I regret it deeply.
‘I want to directly apologize to Jeannie. I am truly sorry for approaching you at your workplace and putting you in an uncomfortable and unfair position. You did not deserve that, and my behavior was wrong.
‘ I apologize to Enloe, and I apologize to the Chico community. I understand that what I did reflected poorly on myself and disrupted a sense of safety and respect that should exist in a workplace and in our community.
‘I did not handle the situation the way I should have. I allowed my emotions to take over instead of choosing restraint and empathy. That was my failure, and I own it.
Again, I apologize to Jeanie and I hope that she and the community can forgive me.’
Nevertheless there was a bright spot and a tidy windfall for the harassed Chico Target worker.
A GiveSendGo campaign launched in solidarity with the Chico Target worker by conservative sympathizers on Monday, ‘to give her a vacation’ come Thursday late afternoon had raised more $232K raised.
