The State Department warned foreigners not to celebrate the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk while on U.S. soil.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau made clear that the agency will not tolerate non-citizens who glorify and praise the killing of Kirk by a gunman at Utah Valley University.
“In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” Landau posted on X.
“I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.”
The Trump administration has previously taken action against visa holders with anti-Israel and anti-American viewpoints. Some of the visa holders were targeted for participating in anti-Israel demonstrations and supporting Hamas, a U.S. designated terrorist organization, and espousing extremist views.
A manhunt for the shooting suspect is ongoing and the FBI has released photos of the gunman. Authorities have recovered the killer’s weapon in a wooded area near UVU. A preliminary law enforcement memo suggests transgender ideology and “antifascist” messages were engraved on unspent rounds found in the rifle.
Democratic politicians uniformly condemned the assassination of Kirk, as have most mainstream liberal pundits. But some pundits and social media users have celebrated it because of Kirk’s viewpoints.
MSNBC fired commentator Matthew Dowd Wednesday night for insinuating that Kirk was at fault for his assassination because of his unapologetic conservative activism. Dowd’s comments came during an appearance on anchor Katy Tur’s live broadcast in the moments after Kirk was shot in the neck.
Kirk died at 31 and left behind his wife, Erika, and their two young children.
An outspoken conservative, Kirk was an online phenomenon best known for visiting college campuses to publicly debate anyone who wished to challenge him. Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and turned it into an influential conservative activist organization with a presence on numerous university campuses. He launched the organization at age 18 with assistance from Tea Party organizer Bill Montgomery.
Additionally, Kirk hosted a popular eponymous podcast and organized conferences featuring prominent conservative activists, pundits, and politicians. He began his career as a Tea Party activist and subsequently became a leading proponent of President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement. In 2019, Turning Point USA created a sister organization devoted to electing GOP candidates and registering voters.
A skilled debater with a knack for going viral, Kirk was credited with helping the GOP increase its share of young male voters in the 2024 presidential election. Kirk was a pioneer in conservative content creation and vigorously defended the value of free speech throughout his career. His approach consisted primarily of changing hearts and minds through argumentation and dialogue.
President Trump said Thursday he will be posthumously awarding Kirk the presidential medal of freedom, the nation’s highest honor. Trump also ordered flags to be lowered to half-mast until Sunday evening to pay tribute to Kirk. Republican politicians and conservative pundits, many of whom knew Kirk personally, have deeply mourned his passing and called for prayers during a difficult time.