Donald Trump announces his US entry ban on citizens of 12 countries, White House, Washington, D.C., June 4, 2025

I joined Azerbaijan’s ANewz and UK outlets on Thursday to take apart Donald Trump’s executive order banning US entry by citizens of 12 countries and restricting it for seven more.

I start with the complete absence of evidence for Trump’s invocation of “terrorism” and other threats to “national security”. I explain how the Trump team came up with the patchwork list, mainly relying on basic statistics over visa overstays.

And I highlight the effect on innocent people just wanting to work, study, or vacation in the US — and on those seeking refuge and asylum from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, and Myanmar.

Watch ANewz from 10:47

I cut to the chase over the political motive for the ban:

The Trump Administration is trying to whip up fear not only of all migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. They are trying to use that fear to say, “You have to support us.”

That leads to serious social divisions and violence in the US.

Watch GB “News”

An extract from my discussion with the hard-right, pro-#Trump, anti-migrant UK outlet GB “News”: