WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order imposing a travel ban on nationals from 19 countries, reviving one of the most controversial measures from his first term.
The ban follows a firebomb attack at a Jewish protest in Boulder, Colorado, which authorities blamed on an Egyptian man who had overstayed a U.S. tourist visa.
In a video posted to X, Trump cited the incident as proof of the “extreme dangers” posed by inadequately vetted foreign nationals.
“We don’t want them,” he said from the Oval Office, warning that the U.S. risks becoming like Europe, which he described as “overrun” by terrorism.
The measure bans all travel to the U.S. by citizens of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
It also imposes partial restrictions—mostly on work visas—on nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The restrictions take effect Monday.
The ban includes notable exceptions for international athletes set to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, both of which the U.S. is co-hosting or hosting.
In a separate move, Trump also ordered a halt on issuing visas for incoming international students enrolled at Harvard University, which he described as a “bastion of liberalism.”
Critics were quick to condemn the new order. Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, said it would once again tear families apart: “The impact of the ban will be felt by Americans denied the ability to see their loved ones at weddings, funerals, or the birth of a child.”
Despite the suspected attacker being Egyptian, Egypt was not included in the list of targeted countries.
Trump’s order claims the listed nations either pose a high security risk or lack reliable systems to process passports and visas. Iran was singled out as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Venezuelan officials pushed back immediately. “Being in the United States is a great risk for anyone, not just for Venezuelans,” said Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.
The policy was rolled out abruptly, with no press present and announced minutes after Trump addressed 3,000 political appointees at a White House event.
The administration had hinted at such a move following the Colorado attack, saying it would root out “terrorists” abusing the U.S. visa system.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said Trump was “fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors.”
The new proclamation is expected to face legal challenges, as did Trump’s original 2017 travel ban, which targeted several majority-Muslim nations and triggered widespread global backlash.
