Joe Biden Rejects President Trump’s Plan To Lift UK, EU, Brazil Travel Ban

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A spokeswoman for Joe Biden said that the incoming administration will not lift the travel ban on the UK, Europe, and Brazil after President Trump signed an order to end the travel restrictions.

President Trump signed an order that would lift travel restrictions as of January 26th, six days after Biden is set to take control of the White House.

Jen Psaki said on social media that the Biden administration would rescind the order.

“On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26.”

“In fact, we plan to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

“With the pandemic worsening, and more contagious variants emerging around the world, this is not the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel,” the Biden spokeswoman concluded.

The order specified that travellers from China and Iran would not be included in the travel exemptions, claiming that their respective government’s “responses to the pandemic, their lack of transparency, and their lack of cooperation with the United States thus far in combatting the pandemic, cast doubt on their cooperation in implementing CDC’s January 12, 2021, order.”

The attempt to lift the travel restrictions by President Trump comes amidst increasing pressure from American airline companies, who, alongside the travel industry as a whole, have been particularly impacted by national lockdowns and travel restrictions.