Trump Imposes Travel Ban on Syria and Seven Other Countries
US President Donald Trump has taken a significant decision to further tighten his "America First" and national security agenda. On Tuesday, Trump expanded his travel ban, imposing a complete entry ban on citizens from Syria, among seven other countries. With this new order, the total number of banned countries has now reached 39.
Countries Affected by the New Travel Ban
According to the official proclamation issued by the White House, citizens of the following countries will no longer be able to enter the United States:
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Niger
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Palestinian Authority (issued travel documents)
Additionally, Laos and Sierra Leone, which previously had partial restrictions, will now also be subject to full travel bans. This new rule will come into effect on January 1, 2026.
Trump's Surprising Decision
Trump's decision is somewhat surprising. Just last month, he had positive discussions with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara and promised to assist Syria. Al-Shara, a former Al-Qaeda commander, had been blacklisted as a terrorist by Washington for years. However, placing security concerns above all, Trump has once again imposed travel restrictions on Syrian citizens.
Previous Restrictions by Trump
This is not the first time Trump has taken such a strict measure. In June, he had already imposed full bans on 12 countries and partial restrictions on 7 others. The Trump administration argues that these "extreme vetting" measures and travel restrictions are necessary to protect the country from foreign terrorists and potential security threats.