After the State Department revoked the visas of at least six foreign nationals it accused of celebrating the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Newsmax guest Dennis Kneale said he “didn’t want them to have free speech.”
A former Fox Business and CNBC host who now hosts his own podcast, Kneale said he took that stance despite being “all for free speech” in general. In fact, both on social networks and his What bothers me on the show, Kneale portrayed himself as a champion and advocate for free speech.
“The right to speak one’s work is under attack both at home and abroad. The press, which should have the biggest dog in this fight, has somehow become the censors’ fun,” he declared last year. “Elon Musk and his X social media platform have become a favorite target.
“Free speech is everything. Stand up and be heard,” Kneale tweeted about his book last March. Elon Musk’s leadership genius. A month ago, he disputed the human rights activist’s account 60 minutes that “free speech needs limits,” calling it “outrageous,” accusing her of “sacrificing someone else’s free speech” for speech that makes others feel “scared and intimidated.”
But during his appearance on Newsmax Wednesday morning, Kneale made the same argument he railed against earlier: Some people don’t deserve free speech if their views offend and anger others.
Newsmax guest Dennis Kneale, a self-proclaimed champion of free speech, said he doesn’t want visa holders who mocked Charlie Kirk’s death to “have free speech” (Newsmax).
Earlier this week, the State Department announced it was continuing to “recognize visa holders who celebrated the horrific killing of Charlie Kirk” and provided six examples of “aliens who are no longer welcome” in the United States. “The United States does not have to accept aliens who wish Americans dead,” the department said, sharing censored screenshots of visa holders’ social media posts “mocking Americans grieving the loss of Kirk,” adding that the comments had resulted in their visas being revoked.
“Aliens who take advantage of American hospitality to celebrate the killing of our citizens will be removed,” the State Department’s X account said.
The deportations come weeks after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the wake of Kirk’s killing that anyone who is “here on a visa and cheers for the public assassination of a political figure” is “not welcome in this country” and should “prepare to be deported.” Meanwhile, with federal judges already reprimanding the Trump administration for using the threat of deportation to intimidate campus protesters, the visa cancellations sparked outrage from civil liberties groups.
During Wednesday’s segment, which RawStory. Alexander Willis first noted that Newsmax anchor Andrew Craft brought up an “intense murder” after Kirk’s murder, which he said was “so thirsty” that some seemed to “enjoy” it. At the same time, Craft noted that the administration “has taken action against some of those people,” particularly “those who are aliens” who are legally in the United States.
“They said they were going to do it,” Craft continued. “We’ll see if any of those six foreigners challenge it in court. It’s going to be an interesting free speech case that builds out of this.”
Fellow Newsmax anchor Sharla McBride added that it’s “very concerning when you have people here” who are foreign nationals but “glorify someone’s death” and “celebrate murder in broad daylight.” She also said that “revoking these visas is a good idea because these people may have violent tendencies,” and Kneale agreed.
“They are trying to overthrow the country they wanted to come to. That they are dying to be accepted,” he shouted.
“On the one hand, I’m all for free speech,” Kneale continued. “But if somebody comes here and harms the country and wants to overthrow our government, then I don’t want them to have free speech! I’m sorry, especially if they’re here as our guests.”