A Travel Update From President Trump Leaves Americans Thinking They Can't Leave the Country
You don't have to stay home but you do have to be careful.
Published June 23 2025, 2:29 p.m. ET
Just before 8:00 p.m. on June 21, 2025, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social where he announced that the United States completed its "very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan." He went on to say that, "A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home." He concluded his message by thanking the great American warriors and said, "Now is the time for peace."
The president also addressed the nation later that same night. Flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, President Trump warned Iran against retaliating, per CBS News. So far, Iran has only launched missile strikes against Israel. Following these attacks, many Americans worried about a travel ban that would stop them from leaving the country. Here's what we know.
Did President Trump ban Americans from leaving the country?
President Trump has not banned Americans from leaving the country, but the State Department has "issued a worldwide security alert Sunday advising U.S. citizens overseas to 'exercise increased caution' amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel," reports The Hill. This came a day after the president announced the attack on Iran.
Sporadic closures of airspace in the Middle East are a result of the conflict between Israel and Iran. "There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad," said the State Department. "The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution." If you are traveling, you can check security alerts for specific countries on the State Department's website.
The State Department issued similar travel alert during President Biden's administration.
In October 2023, Forbes reported on the State Department's worldwide travel alert following the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival in Israel. According to the outlet, it was "rare for the department to broadcast a travel alert at this level." Americans were actually advised to reconsider all foreign travel and "remain alert in touristy areas."
In May 2024, the federal government warned members of the LGBTQ Plus community to take care while traveling for events related to Pride month, per The Hill. The State Department was concerned about extremist groups targeting these events.
"The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas," said a spokesperson. "We take seriously our commitment to provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable information about every country in the world so they can make informed travel decisions.” The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security also warned about similar threats targeting Pride events in the United States.