Trump may widen travel ban; 36 nations flagged over security concerns — See full list

The Trump administration is planning a major expansion of its travel ban, which could soon cover citizens from 36 additional countries. Earlier this month, the Republican president issued an order blocking citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States.According to an internal US State Department cable seen by Reuters and first reported by the Washington Post, these nations risk being added to the list unless they address specific security concerns within 60 days.The cable, signed by US secretary of state Marco Rubio, lists various issues that have triggered these concerns. Among them are countries failing to issue reliable identity documents, having weak or uncooperative governments, poor passport security, and refusing to accept their citizens who have been ordered to leave the United States. Some countries were also flagged for their citizens’ involvement in terrorism, antisemitic activities, or anti-American actions. However, the cable noted that not every concern applied to all countries listed.During Trump’s first term, he had already introduced a controversial travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations, a policy that faced multiple legal challenges before being upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018. The 36 countries now at risk of facing either full or partial bans include:

This would add to the ban announced earlier this month, which already restricts travel from 12 nations such as Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. There are also partial restrictions on travellers from countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Laos, and Sierra Leone.