President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping new travel ban, announced late Wednesday, that blocks citizens from twelve countries from entering the United States, with additional restrictions imposed on visitors from seven other nations. The directive is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, June 9, 2025. This move marks a significant escalation in Trump's hardline immigration policies as he begins his second term.

The countries facing a full ban on entry include Afghanistan, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. In addition to this complete prohibition, heightened restrictions will be applied to travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. President Trump stated, "I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people. We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm." Visas issued before the effective date will not be revoked under the new order.

The proclamation stems from a January 20 executive order, which tasked the State Department, Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence with identifying countries that pose a national security risk or exhibit "hostile attitudes." The administration has justified the severe restrictions by asserting that the targeted countries harbor a "large-scale presence of terrorists," fail to cooperate on visa security measures, have an inability to reliably verify travelers' identities, maintain inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories, and show high rates of visa overstays in the United States. Trump further cited a recent incident in Boulder, Colorado, where an Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who had overstayed his visa, allegedly tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd, as an example of why such restrictions are necessary, even though Egypt is not on the current ban list. "We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States," Trump emphasized.

This new travel ban mirrors Trump's controversial 2017 executive order from his first term, which initially barred citizens from seven majority-Muslim nations—Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. That order, dubbed the "Muslim ban" by critics, led to widespread chaos at airports, global backlash, and numerous legal challenges. A retooled version of the policy, targeting Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, and Libya, along with North Korea and certain Venezuelan officials, was eventually upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Former President Joe Biden repealed that ban in 2021, calling it "a stain on our national conscience." Trump has consistently defended these bans as vital to national security, despite accusations of religious discrimination.

The latest travel restrictions are part of a broader immigration crackdown launched by Trump at the start of his second term. Other initiatives include the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members to El Salvador, efforts to deny enrollments to some foreign students and deport others, and a pledge to restrict people from the Gaza Strip. Trump's campaign has heavily focused on a tough border strategy. His administration also announced that illegal immigrants who "self-deport" could receive a $1,000 stipend and a free flight home. Furthermore, Trump has declared Mexican cartels and the El Salvadorian gang MS-13 as terrorist organizations, revealed plans to reopen Alcatraz prison, and proposed sending up to 30,000 illegal immigrants to detention facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

International reactions to the new ban have begun to emerge. Somalia stated its readiness to engage in dialogue with the U.S. to address the concerns raised. Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali ambassador to the United States, affirmed that Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the U.S. In contrast, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello described the U.S. government as fascist and warned Venezuelans about the risks of being in the U.S., stating, "They persecute our countrymen, our people for no reason." The ban has also created uncertainty for individuals like a 31-year-old Myanmar teacher living in Thailand, whose participation in a U.S. State Department exchange program slated for September is now threatened. The new travel restrictions were first reported by CBS News, and Reuters had previously reported in March that the Trump administration was considering travel restrictions on dozens of countries.

Separately, on the same day as the travel ban announcement, President Trump disclosed details of an hour-long call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump stated on Truth Social that Putin indicated he "will have to respond" to Ukraine’s recent drone assaults on Russian airfields, which reportedly wiped out numerous Russian warplanes. Trump described the conversation as "good" but not one that would lead to immediate peace. The two leaders also discussed Iran's nuclear program, with Trump asserting that Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon, a point on which he believed they agreed. Putin reportedly suggested his willingness to participate in discussions with Iran to help reach a rapid conclusion on the matter.