U.S. State Department confirms no change in Berisha’s “non grata” status after tweet celebrated by DP

A tweet from a right-wing American journalist this week ignited a political firestorm in Albania, as allies of opposition leader Sali Berisha rushed to claim a diplomatic victory. But a clarification from the U.S. State Department now confirms there is no change to Berisha’s designation as “non grata,” a status first imposed in 2021 for significant corruption.

Why is this important: The initial tweet, posted Wednesday by journalist Marc Caputo, was immediately seized upon by Berisha’s Democratic Party as evidence that his travel ban to the United States had been lifted. Supporters celebrated the post as a sign of renewed U.S. support under the Republican-controlled State Department. Berisha himself issued instructions to his candidates to post celebratory messages and appeared alongside Trump-linked figures at a rally in Shkodër. However, U.S. authorities have confirmed that the designation remains firmly in place.

Context: The speculation began with a tweet by Caputo.

“I asked State about Berisha’s visa status & was told he could come to the US.
‘We routinely grant waivers to facilitate designated individuals’ travel to the U.S. consistent with international obligations and our national interests. As such, we won’t let our foreign policy interests or relationship with Albania be held hostage by politicized Biden-era decisions.’”

The message made no mention of a policy change or removal of Berisha’s “non grata” status. Instead, it refers to visa waivers—a longstanding practice used in special cases for reasons of national interest. Such waivers have previously been granted to controversial figures including Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, without altering their sanction status.

In response to a formal inquiry from Albanian news outlet Pamfleti, the U.S. State Department clarified:

“The Department of State has no new information to provide at this time regarding this designation.”

The designation against Berisha, issued by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2021, remains publicly listed on the department’s website. It cites Berisha’s involvement in “significant corruption” and obstructing justice and applies to his entire immediate family.

What else: Addressing the crowd during the Democratic Party’s concluding rally, American strategist Chris LaCivita was conspicuously silent on the visa waiver narrative that had dominated yesterday’s headlines. His remarks focused solely on encouraging turnout and defending conservative values, leaving unmentioned the tweet or Berisha’s non grata status.