Donald Trump Plans Travel Ban On 43 Countries ( See Full List )
The Trump administration is preparing to implement a sweeping expansion of its travel restrictions, potentially targeting citizens from as many as 43 countries, a move that would go beyond the measures imposed during the Trump’s first term.
According to The New York Times, a draft list compiled by diplomatic and security officials includes a “red” list of 11 nations whose citizens would face an outright entry ban. These countries are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The proposed restrictions reflect the administration’s broader push for stricter immigration controls, though the final list and specific enforcement measures remain under discussion.
Officials familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the draft was prepared by the State Department several weeks ago and is still under review. “This is still a work in progress, and changes are expected before it reaches the White House,” one official said.
In addition to the total bans, the proposal includes an “orange” list of 10 countries where visa approvals would be significantly restricted, particularly for those seeking immigrant or tourist visas. These nations include Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan. Travellers from these countries would also have to undergo mandatory in-person interviews before receiving a visa.
A third category, the “yellow” list, includes 22 countries given a 60-day deadline to improve security and information-sharing standards or risk facing stricter measures. Nations on this list include Angola, Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe, among others.
The State Department has been leading the review process, with input from other agencies such as the Justice and Homeland Security Departments. A spokesperson for the State Department declined to comment on the internal discussions but reiterated that the agency is committed to “upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.”
Some of the nations listed in the draft had already faced travel restrictions under Trump’s first-term bans, but others—such as Bhutan—are new additions. The inclusion of Russia has also raised questions, given Trump’s efforts to strengthen ties with Moscow. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s listing could complicate recent diplomatic efforts to improve relations.
The administration’s executive order, issued when Trump took office for a second term on 20 January, directed the State Department to identify countries with “deficient vetting and screening processes” that could pose security risks. The department was given 60 days to submit its recommendations to the White House.
During Trump’s first term, legal challenges delayed the implementation of earlier travel bans, though a revised version was eventually upheld by the Supreme Court. His successor, Joe Biden, revoked the bans upon taking office in 2021, calling them “a stain on our national conscience.”
Trump has defended the move, stating that restricting travel is necessary to protect the country from individuals “who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.” However, it remains unclear whether people with existing visas or green card holders will be exempt from the proposed bans.
As the review process continues, the final list of restricted countries and the extent of the travel bans may still change before an official announcement.
