A part-time conductor on the Incline Railway in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was dismissed after a TikTok video showed him making patriotic Independence Day remarks to passengers, telling those who disagreed that they "could leave". The transit agency that operates the railway publicly apologised and fired him the same day, framing his comments as exclusionary and in breach of its standards, which is why the episode drew wider attention as a flashpoint over patriotism and workplace conduct.

The conductor, identified as Jack Peterson, was recorded saying, "To the very, very few Americans in here, happy Independence Day. To the rest of you, welcome to the greatest country on the face of the planet, and if you disagree, you can leave," prompting a passenger to respond, "Shut up." The railway, which opened in 1887 and is run by the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), confirmed the sacking after a director met the employee and dismissed him immediately. CARTA chief of staff Scott Wilson apologised to passengers, saying the agency has "zero tolerance for language that demeans or excludes anyone who rides with us".