FILE-President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House on April 25, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump has given 36 countries a Wednesday deadline to commit to improve its vetting process of travelers or face a ban on their citizens visiting the United States.
The Associated Press reported that a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department directs embassies and consulates in the 36 countries to assess their host countries’ efforts by Wednesday to amend their citizens’ travel documentation and take measures to address the status of their nationals who are in the U.S. illegally.
RELATED: Trump considers adding 36 countries to travel ban
The cable, which was described to the AP, asks these nations to take action to address the U.S. concerns within 60 days or risk being added to the current travel ban, which now includes 12 nations. Of the 36 new countries targeted, 25 are in Africa.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed with the AP that the Trump administration wanted countries to improve their own vetting processes for passport holders, accept their nationals deported from the U.S. and take other steps to ensure their citizens are not a threat to the U.S.
Which countries could be added to the travel ban?
By the numbers:
The 36 countries that could face a full or a partial travel ban if they do not manage their concerns within the next 60 days are listed below:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Burkina Faso
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cote D’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Ethiopia
- Egypt
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Kyrgyzstan
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Trump imposed travel ban on 12 other countries
The backstory:
President Donald Trump in early June enacted a travel ban on 12 countries and imposed restrictions on seven others, although no previously issued visas have been revoked. Trump’s declaration instead banned issuing new visas to citizens of the 12 countries.
RELATED: Trump announces travel ban on a dozen countries: Here’s what to know
The Associated Press noted that this ban included Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Heightened visa restrictions will apply to citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press and previous LIVENOW from FOX reporting. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.
