WASHINGTON: The latest proclamation, unveiled by the White House with little warning, bans all travel to the United States from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

In addition to the full bans, partial travel restrictions were imposed on nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. While general travel will be blocked, some temporary work visas from these countries will still be permitted.

President Trump cited national security concerns and a recent makeshift flamethrower attack at a Jewish protest in Colorado — allegedly carried out by an undocumented immigrant — as the catalyst for the new measures.

He mentioned during a “summer soiree” at the White House, moments before the order was officially published that this was a powerful step to protect the country. He claimed the ban is necessary to prevent the kind of terror attacks seen in Europe, likening it to his 2017 travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations.

The ban will notably exempt athletes participating in major international events hosted by the U.S., such as the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Iran was listed due to its designation as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” while countries like Somalia, Libya, and Yemen were cited for lacking competent authorities to verify documents and manage border control. Egypt was not included in the ban.

In a separate move on Wednesday, President Trump also announced a visa ban targeting foreign students newly admitted to Harvard University, continuing his push against what he calls liberal academic institutions.