Morning Brief: Trump Reinstates Travel Ban Targeting 12 Nations, Cites Security Concerns and Visa Overstays

Good morning! SOFREP’s Morning Brief is back with the latest updates on defense and global affairs for Thursday, June 5, 2025. Here are today’s headlines: Trump reinstated a travel ban on 12 countries and restricted 7 more, citing security concerns. Israel set a defense export record amid Gaza war criticism. The US vetoed a UN Gaza ceasefire resolution over missing hostage terms. Russian drone strikes killed civilians in Ukraine after a Trump-Putin call, sparking backlash. Sudan’s ex-PM Hamdok dismissed recent military gains as irrelevant, urging a political solution. South Korea’s new government launched probes into former President Yoon over martial law, corruption, and a marine’s death.

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Trump Reinstates Travel Ban Targeting 12 Nations, Cites Security Concerns and Visa Overstays

President Donald Trump on Wednesday reinstated a sweeping travel ban affecting citizens from 12 countries, with added restrictions on seven others, citing national security and visa overstay risks.

The new directive takes effect Monday, June 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. and builds on the original travel ban from his first term that was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

The new ban blocks travel from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additional restrictions apply to citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Trump tied the move to Sunday’s terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, though the suspect is from Egypt — a country not on the list. He cited “deficient” vetting practices, high visa overstay rates, and lack of cooperation in repatriating nationals as reasons for the ban.

Exceptions were carved out for Afghan nationals holding Special Immigrant Visas.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen… That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.” –President Trump pic.twitter.com/ER7nGM4TO2

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 4, 2025

The directive follows a January executive order mandating security assessments of foreign nations. The US government’s annual visa overstay report informed the list.

Trump reiterated that the policy is necessary to block perceived threats: “We don’t want them.”

Critics and advocacy groups condemned the ban as discriminatory and damaging to US credibility. Refugee advocates particularly denounced the inclusion of Afghanistan and Haiti, noting ongoing humanitarian crises in both nations.

This ban echoes Trump’s controversial 2017 “Muslim ban,” which faced widespread protests and litigation before being modified and ultimately upheld. Trump’s defenders maintain the policy is based on security, not religion. Nonetheless, opponents argue the ban targets vulnerable populations and undermines America’s global humanitarian standing.

Israel Breaks Defense Export Record Amid Global Backlash Over Gaza War

Israel secured nearly $15 billion in defense contracts in 2024, setting a new annual record despite intensifying global criticism over its military campaign in Gaza.

The figure marks a 13 percent increase over last year’s record and reflects robust demand for Israeli weaponry, particularly from Europe.

According to the Israeli defense ministry, 54 percent of the contracts came from European countries, followed by 23 percent from Asia-Pacific, 12 percent from Arab states in the Abraham Accords, nine percent from North America, and one percent each from Latin America and Africa.

Nearly half of the deals involved missiles, rockets, and air defense systems. Other exports included armored vehicles, satellites, intelligence systems, and cyber capabilities. More than half of the contracts exceeded $100 million each.

Defense Minister Israel Katz credited Israel’s “battlefield achievements” — referencing operations since Hamas’ October 7 attack — as a driving force behind international interest in Israeli defense technology. He stated, “The world sees Israeli strength and seeks to be a partner in it.”

This surge in exports comes as international condemnation mounts over the Gaza war, which has reportedly killed over 54,000 people, mainly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Western allies including Canada and France have criticized Israel’s actions, and the United Kingdom has suspended trade talks. Spain recently canceled a defense deal over human rights concerns.

The ongoing war, nearing its 20th month, and Israel’s temporary blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza have strained relations even with longtime partners. Nonetheless, the Israeli defense sector continues to thrive, bolstered by sustained demand and geopolitical realignments.

US Vetoes UN Ceasefire Resolution for Gaza, Citing Hostage Concerns

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, arguing it lacked a requirement for Hamas to release hostages and would embolden the militant group.

Fourteen of the fifteen council members supported the measure, which condemned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for unrestricted aid access.

US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said the resolution failed to condemn Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of 251 people, 58 of whom remain in captivity.

The US vetoes a UN Security Council resolution calling for ‘immediate, unconditional and permanent’ ceasefire and unhindered aid access in Gaza. The remaining 14 council members voted in favor of the draft resolution https://t.co/b37fjPs5pc pic.twitter.com/YwxrunGOVM

— Reuters (@Reuters) June 5, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the veto, stating the resolution would have empowered Hamas and undermined Israel’s security.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon welcomed the veto, claiming the resolution would have unfairly pressured Israel without holding Hamas accountable.

The veto, Washington’s fifth since the war began, drew sharp criticism.

UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward condemned Israel’s military expansion and aid restrictions. China’s envoy accused the US of shielding Israeli violations of international law. Pakistan and Slovenia also decried the veto, with Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour pledging to take a similar resolution to the General Assembly, where no country can veto.

After the veto on Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire and lifting of Israel’s blockade, Ambassador Mansour said: pic.twitter.com/f6hn3DjNFI

— State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) June 4, 2025

The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Israel and a US-backed foundation paused food aid deliveries following fatal shootings at aid sites. The UN opposes the alternative aid system, saying its own method, used during a March ceasefire, was effective and monitored.

Russian Drone Strikes Kill Civilians as Trump-Putin Call Stirs Political Backlash

At least five people, including a one-year-old child, died in a Russian drone strike on Pryluky, northern Ukraine, early Thursday, according to regional officials. Six more were hospitalized. Hours later, another Russian drone assault injured 17 people in Kharkiv, including children and a pregnant woman.

Ukrainian officials said Shahed-type drones struck residential areas, causing widespread destruction.

The attacks came shortly after US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia. The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes…” – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/LUe38UcoHQ

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 4, 2025

Trump said Putin promised retaliation for Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russian airfields, but described the conversation as “positive” and “not one that will lead to immediate peace.” Trump has not publicly condemned Putin’s vow and emphasized that the US had no prior knowledge of Ukraine’s operation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the call, calling Putin’s statements a sign of impunity. He reiterated that talks with Russia have consistently failed to produce peace and urged global powers to increase pressure on Moscow.

Zelenskyy’s top adviser, Andrii Yermak, echoed the sentiment in Washington, asserting that Russia only responds to strength but emphasized Ukraine remains open to negotiations.

Facts are stubborn things. Since the beginning of this year, the Russian army has carried out attacks against Ukraine using nearly 27,700 aerial bombs, almost 11,200 Shahed drones, around 9,000 other types of attack UAVs, and more than 700 missiles, including ballistic ones. And…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 4, 2025

Despite Trump’s past claims of being able to quickly end the war, he has expressed growing frustration with Putin, labeling him “absolutely CRAZY,” though he has stopped short of endorsing new sanctions. His administration is currently leading a renewed diplomatic push but has yet to deliver results.

The second round of peace talks in Istanbul earlier this week failed to make headway. Both sides exchanged memos but clashed over core demands, with Zelenskyy calling Russia’s proposal an “ultimatum.” The only agreement reached was a swap of dead and seriously wounded troops, with another prisoner exchange potentially occurring over the weekend.

Putin, meanwhile, accused Ukraine of using ceasefire talks as a ruse to regroup and rearm, and dismissed the idea of a summit with Zelenskyy, citing recent Ukrainian sabotage operations inside Russia. He also spoke with Pope Leo XIV, who urged a peace gesture, though no breakthrough was announced.

Ex-PM Hamdok Slams Sudan Military Gains as “Fake,” Says No Side Can Win War

Sudan’s former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok dismissed recent military victories and political appointments by the country’s ruling generals as meaningless, warning that the two-year civil war cannot be resolved by force.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Hamdok said the military’s recapture of Khartoum and other areas from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would not end the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 13 million people.

“There is no military solution to this. No side will be able to have outright victory,” Hamdok said during a governance conference in Morocco.

He labeled attempts to form a new government, including the appointment of Prime Minister Kamil al-Taib Idris, as “fake” and “irrelevant” while fighting continues across Sudan.

Hamdok, who served as a transitional civilian leader after Sudan’s 2019 uprising, said lasting peace hinges on a ceasefire and a genuine democratic process that addresses deep-rooted inequalities and power imbalances, not military offensives. He denounced the notion of rebuilding Khartoum amid ongoing warfare in Darfur and Kordofan as “absolutely ridiculous.”

Both the Sudanese military and the RSF are accused of committing war crimes, including the use of chemical weapons, mass killings, and targeting civilians. Hamdok’s Somoud coalition, based in exile, condemns atrocities by both sides. He called on all foreign actors to stop fueling the conflict with weapons, declining to single out the UAE despite mounting accusations it backs the RSF.

“Trusting the soldiers to bring democracy is a false pretense,” Hamdok said, warning that the humanitarian crisis—marked by famine, cholera, and mass displacement—will worsen without a political resolution.

South Korea’s New Government Targets Ousted President Yoon with Special Probes

South Korea’s National Assembly, led by the liberal Democratic Party, passed a series of high-profile bills Thursday to initiate special investigations into former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law, criminal allegations involving his wife, and a 2023 marine’s death tied to a flood rescue mission.

The votes came one day after President Lee Jae-myung, a Democrat and Yoon’s political rival, took office following a snap election triggered by Yoon’s impeachment.

All three bills passed overwhelmingly, each by a vote of 194 to 3. Many members of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), Yoon’s former base, abstained from the vote, accusing liberals of political vendetta. Lawmaker Kim Yong-min argued the conservatives’ resistance to probes helped alienate voters in the election.

Yoon was indicted on rebellion charges for allegedly attempting to use martial law to seize control of government institutions in December. The measure, which lasted only a few hours, was overturned when lawmakers breached a military blockade to revoke it. Yoon defended the act as essential governance amid obstruction from a hostile legislature, which he labeled “anti-state.”

President Lee, despite campaign pledges to end political polarization, has endorsed the investigations. If he signs the bills, special prosecutors could take over or expand ongoing inquiries, with authority over civilian and military prosecutors. The new government accuses Yoon of obstructing previous probes and refusing cooperation.

National assembly passes revised special counsel bill to probe Yoon’s insurrection charges, Yonhap reports https://t.co/uZgwOl5AxY pic.twitter.com/K5PFiFJYxp

— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) January 17, 2025

Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, is accused of receiving luxury gifts from a religious official seeking business favors, involvement in stock manipulation, and interfering in PPP candidate nominations. Yoon dismissed all calls for investigation as politically motivated during his presidency.

The legislature also approved a probe into the death of a marine during a flood response mission, an incident liberals claim the previous administration covered up. Dozens of retired marines attended the session, cheering as the bill passed.

With a commanding legislative majority, Lee now faces the challenge of pursuing justice without further deepening political divisions, as Yoon awaits a high-stakes rebellion trial that could carry the death penalty.

Sources: News Agencies, The Associated Press