Trump adds seven countries, including Syria, to full travel ban list

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday expanded the list of countries subject to a full travel ban, barring citizens from an additional seven nations, including Syria, from entering the United States.

In a statement, the White House said Trump signed a proclamation “expanding and strengthening entry restrictions on nationals from countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” to protect U.S. national security and public safety.

The new restrictions prohibit entry by citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, and individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. The proclamation also imposes a full travel ban on Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject only to partial restrictions.

The White House said the expanded ban will take effect on January 1.

The move comes despite Trump’s earlier pledge to support Syria’s recovery following landmark talks in November with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander, was until recently sanctioned by Washington as a foreign terrorist.

Trump has publicly backed Sharaa, whose visit capped a dramatic year in which the former rebel leader overthrew longtime autocratic ruler Bashar al-Assad. Since taking power, Sharaa has traveled internationally, portraying himself as a moderate leader seeking to unify the war-torn nation and end decades of international isolation.

However, Trump struck a tougher tone following a deadly attack in Syria. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, he vowed “very serious retaliation” after the U.S. military reported that two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed by a suspected Islamic State attacker. The assailant targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces before being shot dead. Trump later described the incident as a “terrible” attack.

The White House cited high visa overstay rates as part of its justification for imposing a ban on Syria.

“Syria is emerging from a protracted period of civil unrest and internal strife,” the White House said. “While the country is working to address its security challenges in close coordination with the United States, it still lacks an adequate central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.”

U.S. Adds More Nations to Partial Restrictions List

In June, Trump signed a proclamation banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States and imposing restrictions on travelers from seven others. The measures, which apply to both immigrants and non-immigrants — including tourists, students, and business travelers — were aimed at countering what the administration described as threats from “foreign terrorists” and other security risks.

The White House said the travel ban on the original 12 countries remains in place.

Trump also expanded partial entry restrictions to an additional 15 countries, including Nigeria. The African nation has drawn scrutiny from Trump, who in early November threatened military action over what he described as the mistreatment of Christians.

Nigeria has rejected allegations of religious persecution, saying such claims oversimplify a complex security situation and fail to reflect government efforts to protect religious freedom.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has intensified immigration enforcement, deploying federal agents to major U.S. cities and turning away asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The latest expansion of entry restrictions marks a further escalation of the administration’s immigration measures following the fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last month.

Investigators said the attack was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 through a resettlement program that Trump administration officials argue lacked sufficient vetting.

Days after the shooting, Trump vowed to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries,” though he did not specify which nations would be included or define the term. -Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, Jasper Ward and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Deepa Babington/Reuters