After the shutdown, SNAP benefit cuts, and ICE raids, Donald Trump’s latest decision on granting U.S. visas has sparked outrage. The 79-year-old U.S. President is now blocking visa applications for overweight and obese individuals. A Mirror U.S. report claims that visa officers have been strictly advised to reject applications from obese applicants.
The memo calls for a detailed review of applicants’ medical records. Some of the medical conditions listed include the most common lifestyle ills, as well as those that may also be genetic. The memo read, “You must consider an applicant’s health. Certain medical conditions-including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions-can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care.”
Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum that people with diabetes should not be granted visa to the US anymore but he wants to go and save Christians in Nigeria. 😂
— Onyeka Nwelue (@onyekanwelue) November 9, 2025
Obesity also gets a special mention in this health memo, along with issues of asthma, sleep apnea, and hypertension. Trump administration will review applicant’s financial stability, whether they can afford the costs of treatment. The memo stated, “All of these can require expensive, long-term care. Does the applicant have adequate financial resources to cover the costs of such care over his entire expected lifespan without seeking public cash assistance or long-term institutionalization at government expense?”
In usual cases, applicants got medical check for contagious infections, which require immunization. The expanded list has been slammed as harsh and unexpected. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, immigration lawyer Sophia Genovese echoed similar sentiments. She highlighted the extensive health checks that will be required, likely due to this new protocol. Sophia also hinted at the possible health hazards that can happen to an individual during the examination, such as diabetic shock.
In her words, “Taking into consideration one’s diabetic history or heart health history-that’s quite expansive. There is a degree of this assessment already, just not quite as expansive as opening over, ‘What if someone goes into diabetic shock?’ If this change is going to happen immediately, that’s obviously going to cause a myriad of issues when people are going into their consular interviews.”
If you’re planning to apply for a US visa, my people please – avoid posting anything on social media that insults or speaks negatively about President Donald Trump or the United States.
Even if you already have a visa, things like this could raise issues during immigration…
— Sheyi Shobayo (@sposhbaba) November 8, 2025
Donald Trump‘s recent focus on health policy follows his deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. They aimed at expanding coverage and reducing prices for obesity treatments Zepbound and Wegovy. Despite their fame, these drugs have been scarce to access by ordinary people, because of their expensive price tag. A single dose of these medications can cost about $500 a month, and insurance coverage is remarkably spotty. The rates are alarming, considering that more than 100 million American adults are obese, based on federal estimates.
The new decree requiring U.S. Visa applicants to undergo health examinations has already become a matter of much concern among the public. Social media has recorded immense backlash on the matter. Meanwhile, despite this growing scrutiny, the Trump administration has announced elsewhere that it will conduct a thorough screening and investigation into 175 potential abuses of the visa program.
The Department of Labor, in their post on X, tagged this exercise as a move to protect ‘American jobs’ and wrote, “As part of our mission to protect American Jobs, we’ve launched 175 investigations into H-1B abuse. Under @POTUS and @SecretaryLCD’s leadership, we’ll continue taking action to put American Workers FIRST.”
