Cape Town – US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning a sweeping travel ban that will block visitors from 43 countries from entering the United States, with some nations facing total visa suspensions.
The proposed policy, first reported by The New York Times, is seen as an aggressive expansion of Trump’s earlier immigration restrictions, echoing his controversial “Muslim ban” of 2017, according to Daily Mail.
The new proposal categorises affected countries into three groups:
- Full visa suspensions – 11 nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea, will have all visa applications blocked.
- Partial suspensions – 10 countries, including Russia and Belarus, will see severe restrictions on visa issuance.
- Probationary list – 22 nations, such as Zimbabwe and Cameroon, have 60 days to address US security concerns or risk further restrictions.
🚨Update: Draft 3-tier Trump travel BAN to hit 43 countries! — NYT
NO ENTRY for 11 ‘red’ countries!
Visas for Russians, Belarusians and Pakistanis ‘sharply restricted!’
Many African nations on ‘yellow’ list! pic.twitter.com/pfap4YFbxV
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) March 15, 2025
According to Reuters, this decision mirrors Trump’s first-term travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries, a policy that underwent multiple revisions before being affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2018.
On January 20, he signed an executive order mandating stricter security vetting for foreigners entering the US and instructed cabinet members to recommend by March 21 which countries should face partial or full travel suspensions due to inadequate screening measures, the report said.
This move is part of his broader immigration crackdown, which he outlined in 2023, vowing to restrict travel from regions like Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
The State Department has yet to comment.
The omission of South Africa from the list is particularly significant in light of recent diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Just on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, was “no longer welcome” in the United States.
Rasool “is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS,” Rubio posted on X, referring to Trump by his White House X account handle.
“We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.”
South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country.
Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS.
We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.https://t.co/mnUnwGOQdx
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 14, 2025
Rasool’s expulsion follows his criticism of Trump’s policies, which he linked to white supremacist ideologies.
He also condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, comparing them to apartheid.
South Africa’s presidency responded in a statement , calling the expulsion “regrettable” and urging all parties to maintain “diplomatic decorum”.
PRESIDENCY NOTES RASOOL EXPULSION
The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool.
The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in…
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) March 15, 2025
“South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America,” the presidency said.
The expulsion marks a rare diplomatic move, highlighting growing tensions between the two nations.
The US-South Africa relationship has been on a downward spiral since Trump froze US aid to the country in February, citing concerns over land seizure laws targeting white farmers.
Trump further inflamed the situation by offering South African farmers fast-tracked US citizenship, calling land confiscation policies “discriminatory”.
Tech mogul Elon Musk also criticised South Africa’s land policies, calling them “openly racist”.
Despite an initially positive discussion between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, relations have deteriorated.
South Africa’s close ties to BRICS and its stance on Western sanctions against Russia have also drawn scrutiny. In 2023, Washington accused Pretoria of covertly supplying arms to Moscow — a claim South African officials denied.
Tensions escalated when US lawmakers threatened to revoke South Africa’s trade privileges under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
However, South Africa ultimately retained its status.
Russia, Zimbabwe among those facing restrictions
While South Africa avoided the ban, neighbouring Zimbabwe has been placed on the probationary list. The country now has two months to meet US security and immigration standards or risk travel restrictions similar to those imposed on Iran and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Russia faces stringent visa restrictions, aligning with Trump’s renewed push to pressure Moscow into peace talks with Ukraine.
Trump has warned that failing to negotiate could lead to World War III, positioning himself as a mediator in the ongoing conflict.
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