President Donald Trump’s administration is considering an expansion of its imposed travel ban — potentially prohibiting citizens from 36 more countries from entering the United States, according to a State Department memo reviewed by the Washington Post.

The 36 countries in question are: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Ivory Coast; 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 and Zimbabwe, the Washington Post reports.

Trump had previously signed an order on June 4 that bars citizens from 12 countries — Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen — from entering the country. The White House claims that the purpose of the ban is to protect the country from “foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats”.

The order also partially restricts entry for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, the BBC reported.

The State Department memo, which listed the 36 new countries whose citizens could face restrictions, was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to The Washington Post.

The memo outlines several concerns the department has about the countries and seeks “corrective action,” Reuters reports.

“The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days,” the memo reads, according to Reuters.

The memo claims that some countries have “no competent or cooperative central government authority” that can produce identity documents or other civil documents, according to The Washington Post.

The memo also states that some countries had citizens who overstayed their visas in the United States, according to the Washington Post.

An additional concern, according to the memo, is related to citizens of the country who were involved in acts of terrorism in the United States, or “antisemitic and anti-American activity,” according to Reuters.

The State Department memo set a deadline of 8 a.m. on Wednesday when the 36 countries are expected to provide an initial action plan to meet the requirements, according to The Washington Post.

It was unclear when the proposed travel ban would take effect if the demands weren’t met, the Washington Post reports.

During his first term, Trump tried to impose a travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and Libya. It faced several court challenges until a third version of the ban was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Under the Biden administration, the travel ban was rescinded. During the 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to bring back the travel ban — and to expand it to bar refugees from Gaza from entering the United States, according to Time Magazine.

“Remember the famous travel ban? We didn’t take people from certain areas of the world,” Trump said in the September 2024 Time article. “We’re not taking them from infested countries.”

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The Brief The Trump administration is looking at the possibility of expanding its travel ban. Thirty-six countries would be added to the list of nations facing travel restrictions to the U.S. In early June, President Donald Trump announced a travel ban for 12 countries.

President Donald Trump is mulling expanding his travel ban policy to 36 additional countries, according to an internal memo from the State Department reviewed by Reuters and The Washington Post.

The memo, signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, details a 60-day timeline for the new countries possibly added to the list to meet U.S. security requirements and identity-verification criteria. These nations could face a full or partial travel ban.

This potential move by the administration would follow a proclamation Trump signed on June 4 that banned citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S.

Why is the Trump administration discussing expanding the travel ban?

Why you should care:

The Washington Post reported that the State Department listed specific concerns which have the 36 countries under review, which the memo states are a “lack of a competent or cooperative government by some of the countries mentioned to produce reliable identity documents.”

Citing the memo, Reuters noted that some of the nations were not cooperative in assisting with the removal of their nationals from the U.S. who were ordered to be removed. The memo added that some countries were overstaying the U.S. visas their citizens were being granted.

RELATED: Trump announces travel ban on a dozen countries: Here’s what to know

The State Department in the memo also expressed worries that the citizens of the countries were participating in acts of terrorism in the U.S., or antisemitic and anti-American activity.

“The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days,” the memo stated.

Which countries could be added to the travel ban?

By the numbers:

The 36 countries that may 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’s past travel ban

The backstory:

In January 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order during his first term in office banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

Travelers from those countries were either banned from getting on their flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty members as well as business people, tourists and people visiting friends and family.

The order, often referred to as the “Muslim ban” or the “travel ban,” was refined amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

The ban affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families.

The Source: Information for this story was provided by The Washington Post and Reuters, which reviewed the State Department memo about the expansion of the travel ban, Newsweek, and previous LIVENOW from FOX reporting. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.

More African Countries to Be Added To U.S. Travel Ban

The administration of U.S President Donald Trump is considering a ban on travel to the U.S. for nationals from another 36 countries, 25 of which are African nations, according to the State Department. The cable reportedly outlined dozens of concerns and sought corrective measures from the designated countries.

Earlier this month, the U.S. president signed a proclamation banning the entry of citizens from 12 countries, saying the move was needed to protect the United States against “foreign terrorists”.

The countries in the region that could face a full or a partial ban if they do not address concerns within the next 60 days include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.

The full list is here.

Trump admin eyes travel‑ban expansion: 36 more countries could face full or partial US restrictions

The Trump administration is reportedly considering a significant expansion of its travel ban, potentially adding 36 countries to the list, with 24 in Africa.

The Trump administration is considering expanding its travel restrictions to include citizens from 36 additional countries. This follows an earlier ban on 12 countries, seven of which were in Africa. The proposed expansion would similarly disproportionately affect African nations, with 24 of the 36 countries on the continent.

An internal State Department cable, obtained by Reuters, outlines concerns about these countries, including inadequate identity document security, lack of government cooperation in deportations, and involvement in terrorism or anti-American activities.

The State Department has not yet commented on the report. While the reasons cited for the potential ban are varied, the scale of the proposed expansion and its concentration in Africa raise concerns about potential diplomatic repercussions. It is important to note that Pakistan is not among the countries reportedly under consideration.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to British news agency Reuters.

Earlier this month, the Republican President signed a proclamation imposing a ban on the entry of citizens from 12 countries into the United States.

The U.S. President said that this action was necessary to protect the country from “foreign terrorists” and other national security threats.

This directive is part of a broader crackdown on immigration that began after Trump assumed office for a second term. It includes the deportation of more than 100 Venezuelans to El Salvador over suspected links to criminal gangs, efforts to block some foreign students from enrolling in U.S. universities, and attempts to deport others already residing in the country.

In an internal diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department expressed multiple concerns about these countries and called for corrective measures.

The cable noted that the department had identified 36 countries that, if they failed to meet the required standards within the next 60 days, could face full or partial restrictions on their citizens’ entry into the United States.

Among the State Department’s concerns were the unwillingness of some governments to provide reliable identification documents, as well as concerns over the security of certain passports.

The cable also indicated that some countries failed to cooperate in repatriating their nationals who had been ordered to leave the U.S., while others allowed their citizens to remain even after their visas expired.

Additional concerns included the involvement of some of these countries’ nationals in terrorist activities within the United States, or in actions deemed anti-Semitic or hostile toward the U.S. The cable clarified that not all concerns applied to every country.

If these concerns are not addressed within 60 days, affected countries may face complete or partial entry bans.

The countries named include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Earlier, travel restrictions had already been imposed on citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Seven other countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—are already subject to partial restrictions.