The White House has introduced a fresh travel restriction targeting individuals from 12 nations—primarily located in Africa and the Middle East. These regulations will be implemented early next week. For further details, visit MountainTravelHasMore.com.
Trump expresses disappointment with Elon Musk. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump imposes travel bans on twelve nations. These prohibitions impact Afghanistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. An additional seven countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—are subject to stringent entry limitations. The new regulations will take effect at 12:01 A.M. on Monday. Additionally, Trump has taken steps to limit international students.
Harvard University
Here is MountainTravel's summary of U.S. news for Thursday, June 5, 2025:
Trump expresses disappointment over Musk's critique of the 'large, impressive legislation.'
US President Donald Trump stated that he was unsure whether his “excellent relationship” with Elon Musk would stay intact following the criticism from the billionaire regarding crucial tax and spending bills. The legislation, which the president refers to as the "large, magnificent bill," has apparently caused some tension between them.
"Elon and I used to have a fantastic rapport. I'm not sure about our current standing. It came as a surprise to me," Trump stated to journalists in the Oval Office at a press conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Trump was responding to a question from a reporter about former advisor Musk slamming the bill on social media as "a disgusting abomination."
Trump claimed Musk’s opposition was driven by the bill’s elimination of EV tax credits, which would potentially hurt Tesla.
On the other hand, Musk has stated his opposition to the bill due to its potential to raise federal deficits.
Travel restrictions hamper Iranian football fans' aspirations
Soccer enthusiasts in Iran worry that their hopes of seeing their national team at the World Cup might fade due to the U.S. travel restrictions preventing them from traveling to support their players.
Although the 2026 championship will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the majority of the games—including the finale—are scheduled to take place within the borders of the United States.
Many Iranians were looking forward to cheering from the stands until Wednesday when US President Donald Trump announced a new travel ban effective from Monday targeting 12 nations, which included Iran.
"For many years, my friends and I have eagerly anticipated seeing Team Melli compete in a World Cup hosted in the United States, and when they finally qualified, it seemed like an unparalleled moment," fan Sohrab Naderi shared with the AFP news agency.
"Due to the recent travel restrictions, that aspiration has been crushed as a result of political issues beyond our concern and influence," stated Naderi, reflecting on his attendance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where he witnessed the U.S. team defeat Iran 1-0 during the group stages.
Iran has secured its spot at next year's World Cup. The other nations listed—Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—are highly improbable or almost certain not to qualify for the competition.
Trump looks for Balkan countries to accept deported immigrants, says report
The Trump administration is urging Serbia and other nations in the Balkans to take in migrants who have been deported from the U.S., according to a report by Bloomberg News on Thursday, which cited people knowledgeable about the initiative.
This reported effort is part of an extensive U.S. strategy aimed at obtaining commitments from various foreign governments to accept deportees, according to the publication.
The White House, U.S. State Department, and Serbia’s Foreign Ministry did not provide an immediate response.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court permitted the Trump administration to rescind the temporary protected status for numerous Venezuelans, Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans, thus facilitating potential increases in deportation cases. According to reports from Bloomberg, the administration has also been diligently seeking alternative nations as destinations for these individuals impacted by the decision.
China states that Harvard's prohibition of international students undermines U.S. reliability.
China has strongly condemned the new limitations introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the admission of international students to Harvard University, urging Washington to cease using education as a political tool.
"Cooperation in education between China and the U.S. is advantageous for both sides," stated Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a press briefing on Tuesday. "China consistently opposes the militarization of this field," he added.
This statement was made following President Trump’s executive order temporarily banning new international students from enrolling at Harvard for half a year. The ban was justified by claims of “extremist influences” and concerning “foreign affiliations” associated with the university.
Beijing warned that the measure would "damage the image and international credibility" of the US, and vowed to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese students and scholars abroad.
Currently, Harvard University accommodates 10,158 international students hailing from 150 different nations, with 2,126 coming from China, as reported by the institution’s international office data for the academic years 2024–2025.
Trump initiates probe into claimed "conspiracy" surrounding efforts to conceal Biden's cognitive issues.
U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed an inquiry into what he termed a "plot" aimed at concealing ex-president Joe Biden's alleged mental deterioration throughout his tenure.
"Over recent months, it has grown clearer that ex-President Biden’s staff misused the authority of his signature by employing an autopen to mask his declining mental faculties," according to a presidential memo.
"The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden's signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts," it added.
Trump and some other Republican politicians, as well as conservative US media, have long claimed this conspiracy, and it was been part of Trump's reelection campaign.
During the presidential debate prior to last year’s elections, Biden’s assertions gained more weight as he seemed to falter with his speech and frequently lost track of his arguments.
Lately, several Democrats have started to recognize that Biden appeared less mentally sharp in recent times.
Biden, battling cancer, strongly refutes these claims and asserts that they are merely a diversion from Trump and the Republicans’ efforts to promote “destructive laws.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth is optimistic that NATO will increase its defense expenditures.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was confident that NATO member states will sign up to President Trump's demand for an increase in defense spending.
Trump wants NATO allies to increase their defense spending to 5% of the GDP, up from the current 2%.
“To form an alliance, it’s not just about flags; it requires well-organized structures. It goes beyond mere gatherings like conferences. An effective alliance must maintain combat-ready forces,” Hegseth stated on Thursday in Brussels, where he had come for a meeting with NATO defense ministers.
He added that it must occur by the summit in The Hague later this month.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has responded to the demands by consenting to allocate 3.5% of GDP towards primary military expenditures by 2032, along with dedicating 1.5% toward security-related sectors including infrastructure.
Rutte believes that the proposal will gain approval, and he has garnered support from the United States. Nonetheless, certain NATO countries like Spain have shown hesitation.
Human rights organizations label Trump's travel restrictions as racially biased and anti-immigrant.
Global human rights organizations condemned President Trump's revised travel ban, describing it as "discriminatory, racist, and outright cruel."
"Targeting individuals due to their nationality merely perpetuates misinformation and hatred," stated Amnesty International USA on X.
The US-based Human Rights First similarly denounced the action, stating that it compromised America’s foundational belief in equal protection under the law by focusing specifically on Muslim-majority countries. In a published statement, the group criticized the ban for reinforcing what they called President Trump's "xenophobic policies."
"The restriction will adversely affect refugees, asylum seekers, and various other susceptible groups, encompassing numerous individuals who have been awaiting an opportunity to join their family members within our nation," stated Robyn Barnard, the organization's Senior Director of Refugee Advocacy.
Los Angeles Olympic athletes are exempt from Trump's latest travel restrictions.
The recently implemented travel ban issued by President Donald Trump will not affect athletes participating in the 2028 Summer Olympics scheduled for Los Angeles, according to the administrative directive.
The executive order included one sentence specifying that “all athletes, members of sports teams, coaches, individuals fulfilling essential supporting roles, along with their immediate family members, who travel for events such as the World Cup, Olympics, or other significant sporting competitions designated by the Secretary of State.”
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, approximately 204 countries participated, encompassing all the nations mentioned in the executive order. Without receiving updated instructions prior to the event, spectators originating from these listed countries seem unlikely to gain entry.
Musk urges Americans to contest Trump's tax legislation.
Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk urged American citizens to encourage legislators to reject President Donald Trump's significant tax and expenditure proposal.
"Reach out to your Senator, contact your Representative. Making America bankrupt is NOT acceptable! STOP the LEGISLATION," Musk posted on his social media platform X.
Recently, Musk resigned from his position involving reductions in federal expenditures within the Trump administration. He has strongly criticized Trump’s tax proposal, stating that it would lead to an increased budget deficit and faster accumulation of national debt.
Trump refers to it as the "big, beautiful bill," whereas Musk has labeled it a "disgusting abomination" and cautioned legislators that they will encounter repercussions during the 2026 midterm elections if they back it.
Trump has not addressed this critique. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson has cast doubt on Musk's intentions, suggesting that the legislation might have adverse effects on Musk's electric car firm, Tesla.
The legislation barely made it through the House of Representatives in May, but now confronts a challenging fight in the Senate.
Trump's travel ban labeled as 'discriminatory and anti-Islamic'
The Trump travel restrictions have faced opposition from various ideological groups.
Congresswoman Judy Chu, a Democrat representing California, described Trump's travel ban as bigoted and Islamophobic in a statement posted on X.
"This contradicts our fundamental American principles and fails to enhance our security," she stated.
Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration analyst at the Cato Institute—a libertarian research organization based in Washington—pointed out that terrorists originating from the 12 nations subjected to a complete travel ban have been responsible for killing just one individual on U.S. soil since 1975.
He shared on X that the annual probability of being killed by a terrorist from those countries is 1 in 13.9 billion.
Oxfam America issued a warning in a statement saying that the revised travel ban represents "a disturbing resurgence of policies based on fear, discrimination, and division."
Once more, the ban focuses on individuals from Muslim-majority countries as well as nations with largely Black and Brown populations. This intensifies "inequality and perpetuates damaging stereotypes, racist ideas, and religious discrimination," it further stated.
What reasons has Trump provided for implementing the travel bans?
The US President, Donald Trump, stated that the comprehensive travel bans along with certain limitations—which collectively affect 19 nations—are due to supposed risks to national security and public safety.
A number of nations faced restrictions due to worries about terrorism and insufficient government screening processes.
This includes Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Cuba. Other countries like Sudan, Haiti, Yemen, and Eritrea are included due to the absence of a "capable or collaborative central authority" capable of issuing passports or civil documentation, according to a White House statement. For some other nations—such as Chad, the Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea—the reason cited was their elevated rate of visa overstays, as indicated by the White House.
In addition to experiencing high overstay rates, certain nations have also traditionally been unwilling to accept their own citizens back, according to the White House; these include Myanmar, Laos, Sierra Leone, and Venezuela.
What does the United States imply with a limited travel restriction?
Seven nations' citizens are subject to a limited travel restriction: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The limited travel restriction impacts individuals seeking temporary entry into the United States for commercial activities (B-1 visa), leisure trips (B-2 visa), or both objectives combined (B-1/B-2 visa).
The newly implemented restrictions also affect individuals seeking to pursue academic or vocational studies under an F or M visa, as well as those participating in work-or study-related exchange programs with a J visa.
Harvard describes Trump's restriction on new international students as 'punitive.'
Harvard University stated that President Trump's executive order prohibiting the university from admitting new international students for half a year is seen as "punitive."
"Another unlawful reprisal has been initiated by the administration, which violates Harvard's First Amendment rights," stated the university officials in a release made public late Wednesday evening.
It stated that Harvard will keep safeguarding its international students.
Trump said in a statement that latest order was because Harvard refused to "provide sufficient information, when asked, about known instances of misconduct and criminality committed by its foreign students."
Venezuela cautions about the 'significant danger' associated with travel to the United States.
Venezuela cautioned that journeying to the United States would entail "significant danger" following the announcement of fresh limitations by the White House.
"The risks of being in the United States are significant for everyone, not only for those from Venezuela," stated Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during his weekly television program on Wednesday, as reported by AFP news agency.
He made the statement following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a new travel ban.
People from Venezuela are part of those coming from seven countries facing partial limitations, whereas 12 nations have encountered complete travel bans.
It is believed that approximately 350,000 Venezuelans reside in the United States.
Even though court rulings have yet to be finalized, the Trump administration terminated broad deportation protection for Venezuelans in February.
Trump signs order blocking Harvard international students from entering US
Along with the newly implemented travel restrictions affecting 12 countries, U.S. President Donald Trump has also taken steps to largely prohibit international students from attending American institutions. Harvard from entering the country.
On Wednesday, President Trump issued an executive order stating that permitting Harvard University, among the globe’s leading academic institutions, to keep hosting international students could threaten national security.
This is due to "Harvard's behavior having made it an inappropriate choice for international students and researchers," according to the executive order.
This directive affects every student who plans to enter the U.S. to study at Harvard following the issuance of the executive order. The duration will be six months with potential for renewal.
For international students currently enrolled at Harvard, comprising approximately one-quarter of the student population, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will decide whether their visas should be rescinded, according to Trump’s statement.
This represents an additional escalation in the ongoing conflict between the White House and the country's most ancient and richest educational institution.
Last week, a federal court in Boston halted the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to suspend U.S. visa processing for international students planning to attend Harvard.
The directive issued by Trump on Wednesday grants his administration distinct legal power to prohibit foreign students from entering the country.
Trump claims that leading American universities are breeding grounds for anti-American ideologies.
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