Fact Check: Did Marco Rubio say visas would be revoked for mocking Charlie Kirk's murder?

WASHINGTON, DC: A viral post claims that Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced that anyone in the US on a visa would have it immediately revoked if they mocked Charlie Kirk’s murder.

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed by Tyler Robinson on September 10, 2025, during a campus event in Utah. The claim has now resurfaced online, raising questions about what Rubio actually announced and who could face visa action.

Claim: Marco Rubio said visa holders mocking Charlie Kirk's death would lose their visas

A post circulating on X claims that Marco Rubio recently announced that anyone in the US on a visa would have their visa immediately revoked if they mocked Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

The claim resurfaced around the first anniversary of Kirk’s death on September 10, 2025. 

Trump Daily Posts shared the claim on X, writing, “JUST IN: Sec. Marco Rubio just announced that anyone who is on a U.S. Visa in the United States who mocks the assassination of Charlie Kirk, will have their Visa immediately revoked and they will be sent back.”

Several other X users shared the same claim. Some questioned whether the announcement was real. One user asked, “Is this real?” Another asked how many noncitizen visa holders had been deported for what they described as “assassination culture” since Kirk was killed in 2025.

The user also asked how many people who made similar comments had remained in the US, including a breakdown between student and work visa holders.

The claim has resurfaced mainly because of the first anniversary of Kirk’s assassination. Memorial events were held at Utah Valley University, where the shooting took place, while Republicans also honored Kirk at political events. 

Utah’s governor declared September 10 “Charlie Kirk Day.” Rubio and other officials also posted tributes to Kirk and spoke about his legacy and holding his critics accountable.

Fact Check: False, Marco Rubio made no such announcement

The claim is false. Marco Rubio did not recently announce that all US visa holders would automatically lose their visas for mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

A community note under the viral post reported, "Marco Rubio stated in September 2025 that visas would be revoked for foreigners celebrating or making light of Charlie Kirk's assassination, with some revocations in October 2025. No new announcement was issued around September 14, 2026."

In September 2025, the Trump administration said it was reviewing the names of foreigners who had celebrated Kirk’s death. When a reporter asked President Donald Trump whether the administration had started revoking their visas, Trump said, “No, we haven't, but we are looking at names. We don't like that. That's not right.”

He added, “We wouldn't celebrate if something happened on their side, and we don't. These are sick people. These are really deranged people.”

Rubio also confirmed at the time that the State Department had “most certainly been denying visas” to people who celebrated Kirk’s death. He said the policy “isn’t just about Charlie Kirk,” according to CNN.

Rubio explained, “If you’re a foreigner and you’re out there celebrating the assassination of someone who was speaking somewhere, I mean, we don’t want you in the country.” He added, “Why would we want to give a visa to someone who thinks it’s good that someone was murdered in the public square? That’s just common sense to me.”