The United States will take action against foreign nationals deemed to be “praising, rationalising, or making light of” the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a senior State Department official has announced.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on Thursday that consular officials had been instructed to “undertake appropriate action” against such individuals, and invited users on the social media platform X to flag posts for review.
He stated: “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.” Landau confirmed that replies to his post would be monitored by consular staff.
Kirk, 31, a close ally of President Donald Trump and founder of the right-wing group Turning Point USA, was shot dead on Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The attack, carried out during a public event, has prompted widespread condemnation across the political spectrum.
A State Department spokesperson said: “This administration does not believe that the United States should grant visas to persons whose presence in our country does not align with US national security interests.”
The announcement comes amid a broader clampdown on dissent under the second Trump administration, particularly in relation to campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has previously been directed to investigate foreign students suspected of expressing pro-Palestinian views or criticising Israel on social media, as well as those participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Under expanded vetting procedures, US diplomats are instructed to examine visa applicants’ online activity for “indications of hostility towards citizens, culture or founding principles of the United States”, as well as any “advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists” or “support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence”. International students are now required to provide access to their social media accounts before being granted educational or exchange visas.
Extending these measures to include commentary on Kirk’s death would mark a significant broadening of the administration’s approach to restricting certain forms of expression by foreign nationals.
President Trump has blamed “radical left political violence” for the killing, describing Kirk as “the best of America” in an Oval Office address. He cited a series of violent incidents allegedly linked to left-wing actors, but omitted recent attacks on Democratic politicians, including the murder of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the shooting of another Democratic legislator and his wife in June.
Meanwhile, US broadcaster MSNBC has dismissed senior political analyst Matthew Dowd after he suggested on air that Kirk’s own rhetoric may have contributed to the circumstances of his assassination. Kirk was known for his outspoken right-wing views, Christian nationalist positions, and inflammatory remarks about Islam, women, LGBTQ+ people and ethnic minorities.
