Travel ban, student visas, Biden inquiry: Trump rolls out 3 big announcements
US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced three big moves, two of which are likely to shift the global power's trajectory with the rest of the world.
Trump, who is in his second term, rolled out three policies which could change the landscape not just in the United States but have far-reaching consequences around the world.
So, what are these measures? Here is a list of the three big announcements:
Travel ban on 12 countries
Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning the citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the move was needed to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats.
The directive is part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term, which has also included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members, as well as efforts to deny enrollments of some foreign students and deport others.
The proclamation is effective on June 9, 2025 at 12.01am EDT (0401 GMT). Visas issued before that date will not be revoked, the order said.
The countries affected:
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Chad
Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
Yemen
Restricted entry to people from 7 countries:
Burundi
Cuba
Laos
Sierra Leone
Togo
Turkmenistan
Venezuela
Suspension of foreign students at Harvard
Trump also suspended for an initial six months the entry into the United States of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programmes at Harvard University, amid an escalating dispute with the Ivy League school.
Trump's proclamation cited national security concerns as a justification for barring international students from entering the United States to pursue studies at the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based university.
Investigation into Biden's health
Trump, who turns 79 on June 14, has also ordered an investigation into what Republicans claim was a cover-up of former President Joe Biden's declining cognitive health during his term in the White House.
"This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history," a presidential memorandum reads.
The Republicans cite Biden's infrequent public appearances while in office, as well as his apparent unwillingness to sit for interviews as evidence of what they say was a man incapable of doing the demanding job of Commander-in-Chief of the United States.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Post
2 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Trump-Linked Crypto Project Distributes $47 in USD1 to WLFI Holders
World Liberty Financial , a cryptocurrency initiative associated with U.S. President Donald Trump, has executed an airdrop, distributing 47 units of its USD1 stablecoin to each holder of its WLFI token. The distribution, conducted on the Ethereum blockchain, was automatic and required no action from recipients. The figure of 47 USD1 tokens per wallet is widely interpreted as a symbolic reference to Trump's position as the 47th President of the United States. The airdrop was approved through a community governance vote on May 7, 2025, which saw 99.96% of 12,000 participants in favour of the initiative. The primary objectives were to reward early backers, enhance liquidity for USD1, and test the project's token distribution mechanism under real market conditions. Despite the airdrop, WLFI tokens remain non-transferable and cannot be traded on any exchange. This restriction has drawn criticism from some quarters, with concerns about the token's liquidity and the centralisation of control. Approximately 70% of WLFI tokens are held by insiders, including founders and team members, raising questions about the project's decentralisation. ADVERTISEMENT USD1, the stablecoin distributed in the airdrop, is pegged to the U.S. dollar and backed by U.S. Treasuries, dollars, and other cash equivalents. It is intended to maintain a stable value of $1 and is managed by World Liberty Financial. The stablecoin has been minted on both the Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain blockchains, with plans to expand to other protocols. The airdrop has sparked renewed debate about the intersection of politics and cryptocurrency. Trump and his affiliates are reported to own a significant portion of WLFI tokens and are set to reap a substantial share of the project's revenues. Critics argue that this raises ethical concerns, particularly given Trump's current political position.
Arabian Post
2 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Trade Envoys from US and China to Convene in London Amid Renewed Optimism
Top trade officials from the United States and China are set to meet in London on Monday, 9 June, in a bid to ease escalating tensions over tariffs, technology transfers, and critical mineral exports. The announcement follows a 90-minute phone call between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping, during which both leaders agreed to resume dialogue and expressed cautious optimism about resolving key disputes. Leading the US delegation will be Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The Chinese side has not officially confirmed its delegation, but past rounds have included Vice Premier He Lifeng, Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang, and Vice Finance Minister Liao Min. Li, who was appointed as China's International Trade Negotiator in April, has been instrumental in shaping Beijing's response to the ongoing trade conflict. The upcoming talks follow a temporary truce brokered in Geneva on 12 May, where both nations agreed to reduce retaliatory tariffs—previously as high as 145%—to more manageable levels. However, the ceasefire is set to expire on 12 August, adding urgency to the London negotiations. ADVERTISEMENT A central issue on the agenda is the flow of rare earth minerals, which are essential for advanced manufacturing and defence technologies. China's earlier suspension of some rare earth exports to the US had heightened concerns about supply chain vulnerabilities. During their phone call, President Trump stated that President Xi agreed to resume these exports, a move that could alleviate pressure on US manufacturers. However, Beijing has yet to publicly confirm this commitment. The trade dispute has had significant economic repercussions. American businesses have faced increased costs due to tariffs, and a pending lawsuit challenges the legality of these tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The outcome of both the negotiations and the legal case could significantly influence future US trade policy and economic relations with China. President Trump has expressed optimism about the upcoming talks, stating, 'The meeting should go very well.' However, the complexity of the issues at hand suggests that reaching a comprehensive agreement may require sustained effort and compromise from both sides.
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
Republican removes social media post criticising Sikh congressional prayer
Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller is facing criticism after she said it was 'troubling' that a Muslim led the morning prayer in US Congress, and then changed her social media post once she learnt that it was a Sikh who had spoken. 'America was founded as a Christian nation, and I believe our government should reflect that truth,' she wrote in her social media post on X on Friday. The representative later removed her post after being admonished by both her Democratic and Republican colleagues. 'Mary, you're a racist, bigoted, disgusting, and shameful person, you don't deserve to represent anyone in public office,' wrote Democratic Representative Maxwell Frost. The man who led the prayer, Giani Surinder Singh of the Gurdwara South Jersey Sikh Society, was invited to be the morning guest chaplain by Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew, according to Politico. Republican Representative David Valadao took Ms Miller to task for her post. 'I'm troubled by my colleague's remarks about this morning's Sikh prayer, which have since been deleted,' he wrote on X. 'Religious freedom is one of our nation's founding principles, and I started the American Sikh Congressional Caucus to draw attention to this very issue and work towards religious tolerance for all.' Representative Miller's comments, which were also widely considered to be Islamophobic, came on the first day of Eid Al Adha, one of the most important holidays of Islam.
