Look, I’ll be honest, it seems hard to keep up with what Donald Trump is spouting out at the moment.
From issuing World War III warnings to sending scathing messages to the ‘entire world’ as he hikes up tariffs, he’s also set to update restrictions on travel.
It’s reported the Trump administration is considering issuing a travel ban on citizens from a list of countries. An internal memo seen by Reuters lists over a whopping 40 countries split up into three separate groups.
While it is yet to be fully set and approved, this move would be pretty reminiscent of when the US president placed a ban on travellers from seven majority-Islamic nations during his first term in 2018.
He’s already started a crackdown on immigration since being sworn back into office, and this dramatic memo sees the likes of key allies of Moscow being placed under heavy sanctions.
The three separate groups of the list see the first set for a full ban on travelling into the US and the second would face partial suspensions impacting the likes of tourist and student visas as well as other immigrant visas.
And the third, biggest group, would be considered for a partial suspension if the countries’ governments don’t ‘make efforts to address deficiencies within 60 days’.
First reporting on the list, officials spoke anonymously to New York Times and cautioned that it had been developed by the State Department several weeks ago.
They added that changes were likely by the time it reached the White House.
Some of the countries on this draft list were already sanctioned by Trump in those travel bans made during his first term, but the majority of them are new
Draft list of countries with all travel banned
· Afghanistan
· Bhutan
· Cuba
· Iran
· Libya
· North Korea
· Somalia
· Sudan
· Syria
· Venezuela
· Yemen
Draft list of countries with visas strictly restricted
· Belarus
· Eritrea
· Haiti
· Laos
· Myanmar
· Pakistan
· Russia
· Sierra Leone
· South Sudan
· Turkmenistan
Draft list of countries with 60 days to address concerns
· Angola
· Antigua and Barbuda
· Benin
· Burkina Faso
· Cambodia
· Cameroon
· Cape Verde
· Chad
· Republic of Congo
· Democratic Republic of Congo
· Dominica
· Equatorial Guinea
· Gambia
· Liberia
· Malawi
· Mali
· Mauritania
· St. Kitts and Nevis
· St. Lucia
· São Tomé and Príncipe
· Vanuatu
· Zimbabwe
Citizens in the second group of countries would potentially be able to enter if they’re affluent business travellers but not those on immigrant or tourist visas. They may also be subjected to in-person interviews in order to get their visa.