Fact check: President Trump says Egypt excluded from travel ban because 'they have things under control'

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal that President Trump's claim that Egypt was excluded from the travel ban because 'they have things under control' is contradicted by official documentation and reporting. Multiple sources consistently show that Egypt is actually among the 36 countries being considered for travel restrictions due to inadequate vetting and screening capabilities.

According to the Washington Post, Egypt is one of the countries that "could face travel restrictions due to deficient vetting and screening information" ^[1]. This is corroborated by NPR reporting that "Egypt is one of the countries that could face travel restrictions" ^[2]. The official White House proclamation does not mention Egypt as excluded due to having adequate controls, but rather states that "the Secretary of State will review the practices and procedures of Egypt to confirm the adequacy of its current screening and vetting capabilities" ^[3].

The evidence consistently shows Egypt is being evaluated for potential restrictions, not exempted due to effective security measures.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement omits several critical facts that provide essential context:

• Egypt is actively under review for travel restrictions: Multiple sources confirm that Egypt is among 36 countries given deadlines to improve their vetting processes ^{[4] [5]}. This directly contradicts the notion that Egypt has been deemed to have adequate controls.
• Timeline and process details: The sources reveal that Egypt has been given specific benchmarks to meet to avoid visa bans ^[6], indicating ongoing concerns about their security procedures rather than confidence in their current systems.
• Official policy documentation: The White House proclamation specifically mentions reviewing Egypt's capabilities ^[3], suggesting uncertainty rather than confidence in their current security measures.

Political stakeholders who might benefit from the narrative that Egypt has adequate security controls include:

• Egyptian government officials who would prefer to avoid the economic and diplomatic consequences of travel restrictions
• U.S. officials seeking to maintain strategic relationships with Egypt while appearing tough on security
• Business interests with significant investments or operations in Egypt that could be disrupted by travel restrictions

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement contains significant factual inaccuracies based on the available evidence:

• Direct contradiction of documented policy: All sources indicate Egypt is being considered for restrictions, not excluded from them ^{[1] [2] [4] [6] [5]}.
• Misrepresentation of official reasoning: The White House proclamation does not state Egypt was excluded because they "have things under control" but rather indicates their capabilities are under review ^[3].
• Omission of current status: The statement fails to acknowledge that Egypt is among countries given deadlines to improve vetting processes, which suggests the opposite of having adequate controls ^{[4] [5]}.

This appears to be either a misstatement of policy or potentially deliberate misinformation that could serve diplomatic purposes by publicly praising Egypt while privately maintaining pressure for security improvements. The consistent reporting across multiple news outlets and the official proclamation language strongly contradict the claim made in the original statement.