These days, public feuds like Trump threatening to cut Elon Musk’s government contracts, and Musk retaliating by dragging Trump’s name into Jeffrey Epstein scandals, barely raise eyebrows. Even major policy decisions, like banning people from entire countries, now come and go with little more than a sigh.
Back in 2017, when Trump signed his first so-called “Muslim ban”, airports were flooded with protesters. But this time, the reaction to a new travel ban—one just as damaging and discriminatory—was muted. Attention quickly turned elsewhere, thanks in part to Trump’s high-profile spat with Musk.
Yet this new version of the travel ban is equally troubling. Last Wednesday, Trump signed an order that bars citizens from some of the world’s most impoverished countries, citing supposed threats from “foreign terrorists.”
Countries hit with a complete ban include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Meanwhile, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela now face partial entry restrictions.
Trump defended the decision, saying: “We can’t allow people from places where we can't properly vet them into the U.S.” He referred to a recent attack in Colorado, where a man threw a gas bomb at pro-Israel demonstrators. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, is Egyptian—yet Egypt isn’t on the list. Neither is Syria, whose leader Trump recently complimented as a “young, attractive guy.”
Alex Berrios, co-founder of Mi Vecino, called out the pattern, noting that Trump consistently targets Black, Brown, and Muslim populations. There’s no strong national security rationale, Berrios said—just another example of racially motivated policymaking.
Trump’s travel bans, comments, and policies reflect a long-standing mindset—one that sees entire regions of the world as inferior, criminal, or dangerous, while promoting a nostalgic version of America that harks back to racial segregation.
His history tells the story: In the 1970s, Trump and his father were sued for refusing to rent to Black tenants in New York. In the Central Park Five case of 1989, Trump took out ads demanding the death penalty for five minority teens, even after they were later proven innocent.
From 2011 to 2016, he pushed the racist “birther” theory, falsely claiming Barack Obama wasn’t American-born. Even after being proven wrong, he never apologized and continued to refer to Obama using his middle name—Hussein—to stir anti-Muslim sentiment.
Then there was the Charlottesville rally in 2017, where a woman was killed during a white nationalist march. Trump’s response? Saying there were “very fine people on both sides.”
A year later, he infamously asked: “Why are we getting people from shithole countries?” referring to Haiti and African nations—while wishing for more immigrants from Norway.
During the George Floyd protests, Trump sent in federal troops and National Guard forces, escalating clashes in Washington and Portland. He also repeatedly blamed China for COVID-19, using slurs like “kung flu” and “Chinese virus,” which helped fuel a wave of anti-Asian hate.
His race-baiting didn’t stop. At a 2024 journalist event, he baselessly claimed Kamala Harris “acted Black” for political gain. On the campaign trail, he claimed immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the U.S.—rhetoric chillingly similar to Hitler’s language.
Back in the White House, Trump has unleashed a new round of executive orders to crush diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. He even blamed DEI for a tragic military-civilian air collision, without evidence.
With Musk’s informal team, nicknamed “Doge”, Trump has slashed foreign aid, gutting agencies like USAID and destabilizing aid efforts in Africa and beyond.
His immigration crackdown has grown more aggressive—deporting Venezuelans accused of gang ties, restricting international students, and even granting refugee status to 50 white South Africans under the bogus claim of “white genocide.”
He blindsided South African president Cyril Ramaphosa with videos of mass graves and misleading images, supposedly from the Congo—but offered no evidence. Trump has also bizarrely claimed that criminals are being sent to the U.S. from “the Congo”, though he seemed confused about which Congo he meant.
Last month, speaking with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Trump said: “Many, many people come from the Congo. I don’t even know what that is, but they came from the Congo.” The Republic of Congo was included in his ban, but not the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is currently in mineral negotiations with the U.S. Officials from the Republic called the move a “misunderstanding.”
Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist, called it out bluntly: “This is more of the racism, bigotry, and white supremacy that Trump’s politics thrive on.” He added that Trump keeps feeding the right-wing machine because it’s essential to his brand—and racism is baked into the formula of Trumpism.
After a decade of Trump in American politics, the unthinkable has become routine. The shock is gone. And maybe the most dangerous thing Trump has accomplished isn’t a single policy—but the way he’s shifted what Americans are willing to accept.
Description:
"Explore how Donald Trump's latest travel ban and political rhetoric continue a decade-long pattern of racially charged policies, normalized extremism, and attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion in America."