President Trump signed a proclamation expanding U.S. travel restrictions from 19 to 39 countries, adding seven nations to a full ban and 15 to partial restrictions. The White House said the move was prompted by "severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing." The order also restricts holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents, adjusts Turkmenistan visa rules, and preserves exemptions for permanent residents, existing visa holders and cases serving U.S. national interests.
Trump Expands U.S. Travel Restrictions to 39 Countries, Citing Security Gaps
President Donald Trump listens during a ceremony for the presentation of the Mexican Border Defense Medal in the Oval Office of the White House on December 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a proclamation expanding the roster of countries subject to full or partial U.S. travel restrictions from 19 to 39, the White House announced.
Full Travel Ban: The proclamation adds seven countries to the full travel-ban list — Laos, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria. Laos and Sierra Leone had previously been subject only to partial restrictions.
Partial Restrictions: Fifteen additional countries were placed under partial travel restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The White House said the newly listed countries demonstrate what it described as "severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing," and that nationals of those countries now face tighter limits on travel to the United States.
The proclamation also imposes travel constraints on holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents. At the same time it lifts a ban on nonimmigrant visas for Turkmenistan citizens while maintaining a suspension of entry for Turkmen nationals, according to the White House statement.
Exemptions: Exceptions were built into the order for lawful permanent residents, existing valid visa holders, certain specific visa categories, and individuals whose entry is deemed to serve U.S. national interests.
Context: The administration framed the expansion as part of a broader tightening of immigration and border policies following a shooting in Washington, D.C., that killed one National Guard member and critically injured another. Reports identify the suspect as an Afghan national who had worked with U.S. forces and was later resettled and granted asylum; officials have cited the incident while pressing for more restrictive screening measures.
For historical context, the Trump administration previously imposed a travel ban in 2017 that restricted entry from several countries; the Supreme Court upheld a later version of that policy, and President Joe Biden repealed the policy after taking office in 2021.
Full List of Countries Now Subject to Full or Partial Restrictions (39):
- Afghanistan
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Niger
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Dominica
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Readers should watch for additional guidance from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department on how the proclamation will be implemented and which specific visa categories or nationalities will be affected in practice.
