United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday expanded a full travel ban to include citizens from seven additional countries, further tightening US entry restrictions. The move includes Syria and several African nations, according to the White House.
In a statement, the White House said Trump signed a proclamation strengthening entry restrictions on countries with what it described as serious deficiencies in screening, vetting and information-sharing. The administration said the measures were necessary to address national security and public safety concerns.
AMERICA FIRST SECURITY 🇺🇸
President Donald J. Trump just signed a new Proclamation, STRENGTHENING our borders & national security with data-driven restrictions on high-risk countries with severe deficiencies in screening & vetting. pic.twitter.com/DZmqpkerKb
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 16, 2025
President Donald Trump expanded the U.S. travel ban to include seven more countries, citing security and vetting concerns. The restrictions take effect Jan. 1 and follow a deadly attack on U.S. forces in Syria.https://t.co/0shntvhq2I pic.twitter.com/17A16lvfrw
— KSL.com – Utah Breaking News (@KSLcom) December 17, 2025
New crackdown! Donald Trump imposes travel ban for 7 more countries
*Syria
*Burkina Faso
*Mali
*Niger
*South Sudan
*Laos
*Sierra Leone#TrumpTravelBan #USTravelBan #Syria #USImmigration #WhiteHouse #NationalSecurity #GlobalPolitics #CNBCTV18Digital pic.twitter.com/F0BZEloqCy— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) December 17, 2025
Under the new order, citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria are barred from entering the United States. The ban also applies to individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
Laos and Sierra Leone, which were previously subject to partial restrictions, are now facing a full entry ban. The White House said the expanded measures will take effect on January 1.
The decision comes despite Trump’s earlier statements expressing support for Syria’s future following talks in November with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. However, tensions rose after a recent attack in Syria killed two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter.
Read More: US expands travel ban to over 30 countries
Trump described the incident as a “terrible” attack and later warned of serious retaliation. The White House cited high visa overstay rates and weak document controls as reasons for including Syria in the ban.
“Syria lacks adequate screening and vetting measures and does not have a reliable central authority for issuing civil documents,” the statement said. It added that ongoing instability continues to pose security risks.
Trump had already imposed a travel ban in June on citizens from 12 countries and partial restrictions on seven others. Those measures remain in effect, the White House confirmed.
The president also announced partial entry restrictions on 15 additional countries, including Nigeria. The Nigerian government has rejected claims that Christians face persecution, calling them misleading.
Read More: US freezes all immigration processing for 19 countries
Since returning to office in January, Trump has intensified immigration enforcement nationwide. The expanded travel ban marks a further escalation of restrictions following recent security incidents in the United States.