President Donald Trump’s administration has barred two British nationals from entering the United States after they publicly criticised his policies, prompting concerns over free speech and transatlantic relations amid ongoing travel restrictions targeting high-risk countries.
On December 25, 2025, US authorities denied entry to two British citizens at a major US airport for expressing views critical of President Donald Trump, according to Metro.co.uk, marking a rare instance of UK nationals affected by the administration’s stringent immigration measures introduced earlier in the year.
Details of the Entry Denials
US Customs and Border Protection officers refused admission to the two individuals, who were travelling under the Visa Waiver Program, after reviewing their social media activity and public statements deemed to violate national security vetting protocols, Metro.co.uk reported. The decision aligns with expanded screening under Executive Order 14161, signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025, which directs protections against foreign nationals posing security threats, as detailed on Wikipedia.
As reported by Unnamed Correspondent for Metro.co.uk, the British citizens were questioned extensively upon arrival and subsequently placed on a no-fly list for future travel, with officials citing their expressed political opinions as grounds for exclusion.
Context of Trump’s Expanded Travel Restrictions
The incident occurs against the backdrop of President Trump’s second-term immigration policies, including Proclamation 10949 signed on June 4, 2025, which fully restricts entry from twelve countries such as Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen to safeguard against terrorism and public safety threats, according to Wikipedia. A December 2025 proclamation further targeted Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority, reflecting ongoing efforts to address national security risks from “countries of concern.”
UK Migration Trends Fueling US Concerns
GB News analysis revealed that nearly a quarter of a million migrants from Donald Trump’s list of 19 “countries of concern” have entered Britain since 2021, including 45,000 Afghans, 35,000 Iranians, and 14,000 Sudanese nationals on long-term visas, alongside 88,000 illegal small boat arrivals, primarily from Afghanistan. Steven Edginton reported for GB News that these figures, following a National Guard shooting linked to an Afghan national on November 26, 2025, prompted President Trump to pledge a “permanent pause” on migration from “third world countries.”
Reactions and Historical Precedents
British officials have historically secured exemptions for UK nationals from Trump-era travel bans, with the Foreign Office clarifying in past instances that full British citizens remain unaffected, as noted by City A.M. during the initial 2017 executive order targeting seven majority-Muslim countries. However, dual nationals or those born in restricted nations, such as Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi, faced travel disruptions, prompting calls for fair treatment of British passport holders. The Telegraph highlighted in June 2025 that Trump’s bans expose Britain’s border vulnerabilities, urging similar visa restrictions on overstaying-prone countries.
No immediate reaction from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer or Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been reported regarding the two latest cases, though past responses distanced Britain from Trump’s stances, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan previously labelling early bans “shameful and cruel,” according to City A.M.
Implications for Transatlantic Travel
US officials confirmed that all green card holders from the 19 countries of concern face immigration status reviews, potentially extending scrutiny to allies like Britain amid fears of extremist spillover, as discussed in a YouTube analysis citing UK’s “severe” terror threat level and over 45,000 migrant arrivals in 2022 alone. The British government recently imposed visa bans on three countries refusing deportation cooperation, mirroring US tactics, per GB News. Legal challenges are anticipated, echoing first-term ban disputes ultimately upheld by courts.
The denials underscore heightened US border enforcement under the second Trump administration, with Proclamation 10949 effective from June 9, 2025, and no reported reversal for the affected British citizens, leaving their travel prospects uncertain based on available reports from Metro.co.uk, Wikipedia, GB News, City A.M., and The Telegraph.
