The Trump admin isn’t playing games with anyone. Especially not the Fake News Media.
That’s why Trump’s Secretary of State just slapped a CBS host on live TV with this five word takedown.
Marco Rubio Clashes with CBS Host Over Visa Revocation of Syrian-Born Columbia Student
On Sunday, a heated exchange unfolded on CBS’s Face the Nation between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and host Margaret Brennan. The discussion centered on the recent revocation of Mahmoud Khalil’s visa, a 30-year-old Syrian-born former Columbia University student arrested earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Khalil’s arrest on March 8 stemmed from his alleged involvement in a student encampment at Columbia last year, which authorities claim tied him to “activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,” as reported by the Associated Press. With both his green card and student visa now revoked, the case has sparked debate over the grounds for such actions.
Brennan opened the interview by pressing Rubio on whether there was any evidence that Khalil had provided “material support” to Hamas. Rubio responded with a firm stance on the Trump administration’s immigration policies. “Well, not just the student. We’re going to do more. In fact, every day now we’re approving visa revocations, and if that visa led to a green card, the green card process as well,” he said. He emphasized that entering the United States on a visa—whether as a student, tourist, or otherwise—comes with conditions. “When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest,” Rubio explained.
The secretary of state went on to argue that honesty is a prerequisite for obtaining a visa. “In it, you have to make certain assertions. If you tell us, when you apply for a visa, ‘I’m coming to the U.S. to participate in pro-Hamas events,’ that runs counter to the foreign policy interest of the United States of America. It’s that simple. So you lied. If you had told us that you were going to do that, we never would have given you the visa. Now you’re here. Now you do it. You lied to us. You’re out. It’s that simple. It’s that straightforward,” Rubio stated.
Brennan, unsatisfied with Rubio’s response, dug deeper, asking if there was “any evidence of a link to terrorism” or if the revocation stemmed merely from Khalil’s opinions clashing with official views. Rubio shot back with a pointed suggestion: “Yeah, they take over—I mean, you should watch the news. These guys take over entire buildings. They vandalize colleges. They shut down colleges.”
Brennan countered quickly, defending her network’s coverage. “We covered it intensely,” she said. “I’m asking about the specific justification for the revocation of his visa. Was there any evidence of material support for terrorism?”
Rubio didn’t back down, asserting that Khalil had been “negotiating on behalf of people that took over a campus and vandalized buildings.” He described this role as a “crime in and of itself” and stressed that the U.S. has no obligation to host such individuals. “We never should have allowed them in the first place. If he had told us, ‘I’m going over there, and I’m going over there to become the spokesperson and one of the leaders of a movement that’s going to turn one of your allegedly elite colleges upside down, people can’t even go to school, libraries and buildings being vandalized,’ we never would have let him in,” Rubio said.
The arrest has ignited a wave of protests in Khalil’s defense, particularly as the Trump administration moves to deport him. Last April, Khalil publicly identified himself as the “lead negotiator” for Columbia University’s Apartheid Divest, a student group pushing the university to divest from companies tied to Israel.
This role has fueled the government’s case against him, with Rubio framing it as evidence of intent incompatible with U.S. interests. “If you are in this country to promote Hamas, to promote terrorist organizations, to participate in vandalism, to participate in acts of rebellion and riots on campus, we never would have let you in if we had known that. Now that we know it, you’re going to leave,” he declared.
Rubio closed his argument with a broader point about national security and public safety. “We don’t want people in our country that are going to be committing crimes, undermining our national security or public safety. It’s that simple,” he said. Challenging the notion that a visa guarantees entry, he added, “I don’t know where we’ve gotten it in our head that a visa is some sort of birthright—it is not. It is a visitor into our country, and if you violate the terms of your visitation, you are going to leave.”
The confrontation between Rubio and Brennan revealed a stark divide over the administration’s approach to visa revocations and deportations. As Khalil’s case continues to unfold, it raises questions about the balance between free expression and the government’s authority to regulate who remains within its borders—a debate unlikely to fade anytime soon.
Trump Signals Aggressive Crackdown on Campus Protests with Arrest of Palestinian Activist
President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning that the recent arrest and potential deportation of a Palestinian activist involved in leading protests at Columbia University marks the beginning of an effort to target similar demonstrations on college campuses nationwide. The administration’s focus centers on protests against Israel and in favor of Hamas, which Trump has labeled as supportive of terrorism.
In a social media post, Trump made his intentions clear, stating, “We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again.” The president’s remarks signal a sweeping policy aimed at identifying and removing individuals he accuses of crossing a line with their activism.
However, the situation took a legal turn when a federal judge in New York City intervened. The judge issued an order preventing Khalil’s deportation while the court reviews a challenge filed by his legal team. A hearing to address the matter is set for Wednesday, leaving Khalil’s fate—and the overall implications of Trump’s policy—in limbo for now.
Trump has repeatedly justified his stance by arguing that protesters who engage in demonstrations he ties to Hamas—a Palestinian group responsible for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel—have relinquished their right to stay in the United States. The U.S. government has long classified Hamas as a terrorist organization, a designation Trump has leaned on to frame his administration’s response to campus unrest.
The crackdown extends beyond immigration enforcement. The U.S. Education Department sent letters to approximately 60 colleges, including prestigious institutions like Harvard and Cornell, cautioning that failure to comply with civil rights laws concerning antisemitism could jeopardize their federal funding. The department emphasized the need to maintain “uninterrupted access” to campus facilities and educational opportunities. Columbia University, already a focal point of the administration’s ire, faces an immediate consequence: the Trump administration has moved to withdraw $400 million in federal support from the school.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
