U.S. Trumps dodges question about Sudan’s drop from ban travel
September 27, 2017 (WASHINGTON) – U.S. President Donald Trump declined Wednesday to respond to a question about the reason of Sudan’s removal from triggered the removal of Sudanese national from the list of countries whose citizens are subjected to a travel ban.
U.S. President Donald Trump Sunday removed Sudan from an expanded travel ban imposed last March despite the fact that the east African nation is on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Washington didn’t officially explain the reason for the decision but officials told the Washington Post that Khartoum cooperation in the fight against terrorism motivated the decision.
Asked Wednesday by a journalist before to take his plane to Indiana about why he dropped Sudan from the travel ban list, Trump just said that countries can easily be added and removed from the list.
“Well, the people — yeah, the people allowed certain countries — but we can add countries very easily and we can tale countries away,” Trump said.
When the journalist insisted “What did Sudan do right?” The president dodged the question by saying “So, I’ ll see you in Indiana. We are going to go over some more points that have not been talked about. Are you all going? Is everyone going?”
On Monday The Intercept reported that the United Arab Emirates worked for the lift on travel ban on Sudanese due to their participation in the war on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba has put his substantial diplomatic weight behind the Sudanese government. Otaiba is particularly close with White House adviser Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. Kushner plays a leading role in setting Mideast policy for the administration,” said the Intercept citing a well-placed U.S. government source.
(ST)