WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has signed a presidential proclamation restricting travel from nearly two dozen countries, citing national security risks and the need for improved vetting measures, CNN reported.
The new directive, signed Wednesday evening, imposes full travel bans on nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and Eritrea.
Another seven countries—among them Cuba, Venezuela, and Turkmenistan—face partial restrictions. The proclamation exempts lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, and individuals whose entry is deemed in the national interest of the United States.
According to CNN, a White House official confirmed that the decision to move forward with the proclamation came in the wake of the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, which accelerated the timeline for the announcement. While the policy had been under consideration for weeks, Sunday’s violence reportedly prompted President Trump to act.
The White House characterised the new restrictions as a fulfilment of Trump’s campaign pledge to safeguard Americans from “dangerous foreign actors.”
“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans,” said White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “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.”
CNN noted that the proclamation is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on June 9. In a video posted on social media, Trump also hinted that the list of countries could be expanded if new threats arise, stating, “We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm.”
This is not the first time Trump has imposed travel restrictions. During his first term, he issued a controversial travel ban targeting several majority-Muslim countries, a move that sparked legal battles and was ultimately reversed by President Joe Biden in 2021. The reinstatement of restrictions on Afghanistan could have significant consequences for Afghans who previously assisted the U.S. military and are currently awaiting Special Immigrant Visas.
CNN reported that on his first day back in office, Trump had directed cabinet officials to evaluate and list countries lacking sufficient security and identity-sharing protocols. The Wednesday proclamation appears to be the result of that review process.
