Keypoints:
- Chad suspends all visa issuances to Americans
- Move follows Trump’s entry ban on 12 countries
- President Deby says Chad ‘has its dignity and pride’
CHAD has retaliated against the United States by suspending visa issuance to American citizens, one day after President Donald Trump announced sweeping travel restrictions on a dozen countries, including the Central African nation.
In a defiant message on X (formerly Twitter), President Mahamat Idriss Deby confirmed the retaliatory move, invoking national dignity as the driving force behind his decision.
‘I have instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the granting of visas to citizens of the United States,’ Deby declared. ‘Chad has neither planes to offer, nor billions of dollars to give — but Chad has its dignity and pride.’
US ban triggers diplomatic storm
Trump’s new executive order, set to take effect on June 9, bars entry into the US for citizens from 12 countries, citing insufficient security screening procedures and elevated national security risks.
In addition to Chad, the list includes Afghanistan, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
A White House statement defended the decision, claiming the affected countries were ‘deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States.’
Chad’s message: sovereignty matters
Chad’s swift response underscores growing frustration among African nations over what many see as discriminatory immigration policies from Washington.
Though Chad remains a key Western security partner in the Sahel, President Deby’s action signals a new tone of assertiveness — one aimed at defending national sovereignty and political self-respect.
Diplomatic sources in N’Djamena suggest Chad is considering further coordination with other affected African states to mount a collective response.
Africa pushes back
The African Union has also weighed in, warning the US of the potential damage such sweeping bans could cause to longstanding diplomatic and development ties. In a separate statement, the AU urged the White House to adopt a more consultative approach and engage directly with the nations involved.
Human rights groups and diaspora organisations in the US have similarly condemned the restrictions, calling them unjust and politically motivated.
As the new US ban nears implementation, Chad’s bold tit-for-tat decision may set the stage for further diplomatic fallout — and a broader reckoning over how the continent responds to external pressure in the Trump era.
