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U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a new travel ban targeting nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, and Yemen. This measure revives one of the most controversial policies from his initial term in office.
President Trump stated that the impetus for the ban was a makeshift flamethrower attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado, which U.S. authorities attributed to an individual allegedly in the country illegally.
The comprehensive ban applies to nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, President Trump imposed a partial ban on travelers from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Both sets of restrictions are slated to take effect on Monday, according to the White House.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,” President Trump declared in a video message from the Oval Office, posted on X. “We don’t want them.”
Trump drew parallels between the new restrictions and the “powerful” ban he implemented during his first term, which primarily targeted Muslim-majority nations and caused significant global travel disruptions. He asserted that the 2017 ban had prevented terror attacks in the United States similar to those witnessed in Europe.
“We will not let what happened in Europe happen in America,” Trump emphasized. “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen. That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.”
In response to the announcement, Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello warned citizens against travel to the U.S., stating, “Being in the United States is a great risk for anyone, not just for Venezuelans.”
The new travel ban is anticipated to face legal challenges, consistent with the pattern of many of the drastic measures undertaken by President Trump in his rapid return to office.
The White House unveiled the new ban with minimal prior warning, mere minutes after President Trump addressed approximately 3,000 political appointees from his balcony during a celebratory “summer soiree.” Notably, the announcement was made without the presence of reporters, a departure from his usual practice of unveiling major policy announcements at signing ceremonies with journalists in the Oval Office.
Rumors of a new Trump travel ban had been circulating since the Colorado attack, with his administration vowing to pursue “terrorists” residing in the U.S. on visas. The suspect, Mohammed Sabry Soliman, is alleged to have deployed fire bombs and sprayed burning gasoline at a group gathered on Sunday in solidarity with Israeli hostages held by Hamas. U.S. Homeland Security officials stated that Soliman was in the country illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa, despite having applied for asylum in September 2022.
“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,” stated White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson on X. “These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information.”
President Trump’s proclamation provided specific justifications for the inclusion of each country, asserting that the measure aims to protect the United States from “foreign terrorists and other national security” threats. For Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and war-torn Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen, the proclamation cited a lack of “competent” central authorities capable of processing passports and conducting proper vetting. Yemen, where American forces have engaged Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, was also noted as the “site of active U.S. military operations.” Iran’s inclusion was attributed to its designation as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” despite ongoing negotiations with the United States regarding a potential nuclear deal. For most other listed countries, the order cited an above-average likelihood of visa overstays.
Separately, President Trump also announced a ban on visas for foreign students slated to attend Harvard University, escalating his crackdown on what he perceives as a bastion of liberalism.
