Department of State revokes the visa of a Brazilian neurosurgeon for celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder
"Of all the depraved online content I've seen, this one may be the most chilling. This is a NEUROSURGEON from Brazil. He not only commends Charlie Kirk's assassin for his 'impeccable aim,' but then with surgical precision specifies 'cervical spine,'" Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau noted.
Christopher Landau, deputy secretary of state (File).
The Department of State has revoked the visas of foreign nationals who celebrated the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot dead during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
Among those mocking the tragic event was Brazilian neurosurgeon Ricardo Barbosa, whose visa was revoked for publicly praising the assassin with comments that Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau called "depraved."
In a post on X on Thursday, Landau announced, “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.” He added that he was disgusted to see praise, justifications, or minimizations of the event on social media and ordered consular officials to take appropriate action, inviting the reporting of comments by foreigners.
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. I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light…
— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) September 11, 2025
One of the most prominent cases involves Ricardo Barbosa, a Brazilian neurosurgeon. In that line, a user of X denounced him after a post he allegedly wrote and then deleted: "Shout out to this fellow with impeccable aim. Cervical spine," a comment to which Landau responded directly: "Of all the depraved online content I've seen, this one may be the most chilling. This is a NEUROSURGEON from Brazil. He not only commends Charlie Kirk's assassin for his 'impeccable aim,' but then with surgical precision specifies 'cervical spine.' This is a licensed professional who took the Hippocratic Oath? Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm."
Of all the depraved online content I’ve seen, this one may be the most chilling. This is a NEUROSURGEON from Brazil. He not only commends Charlie Kirk’s assassin for his “impeccable aim,” but then with surgical precision specifies “cervical spine.” This is a licensed professional… pic.twitter.com/eOUPn4Eego
— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) September 13, 2025
Landau added, “I have personally directed the head of Consular Affairs to revoke his U.S. visa if he has one and to place an alert on him to make sure he never receives one. I would also like to think the Brazilian licensing authorities would take an interest in a neurosurgeon who publicly wishes death on people with whose political views he disagrees.”
More visa revocations and monitoring
In parallel, the Department of Defense is also monitoring social media to prevent Pentagon civilian or military employees from celebrating or mocking Charlie Kirk's death.
In that vein, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned civilian and military employees that the Pentagon is "tracking" any comments celebrating or mocking the killing of the conservative activist.
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