WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is pressuring European countries to implement stronger travel controls for individuals arriving from African nations experiencing Ebola outbreaks, warning that insufficient action could lead to heightened U.S. travel restrictions from Europe, potentially affecting the World Cup soccer tournament.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to express these concerns and “to discuss U.S. and European coordination and response efforts to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda,” according to a State Department statement.
“The department’s highest priority and focus remain protecting the health of the American people and preventing this Ebola outbreak from reaching our shores,” the statement declared.
A State Department official spoke more directly about the situation, stating that the U.S. “has stepped up” to address the outbreak and “now the world must do more to step up as well.”
Speaking anonymously about the private conversation between Rubio and von der Leyen, the official emphasized that immediate action is needed and warned that inaction could impact trans-Atlantic travel.
The official indicated that the U.S. seeks action including financial support to fight the disease and “commonsense restrictions on travel from the affected area.”
The World Cup tournament begins Thursday in Mexico and continues for nearly six weeks, with the United States serving as host for most matches.
The Trump administration has prohibited travelers who visited any affected countries within the past three weeks from entering the United States and is implementing quarantine protocols for American citizens returning from those regions.
While relatively few direct flights operate daily between Africa and the United States, more than 300 direct daily flights connect Europe and the United States.
The U.S. reports contributing over $200 million toward efforts to stop the outbreak in Congo and Uganda since its initial confirmation last month.
The European Union announced Tuesday that it was increasing its Ebola response funding by 16.5 million euros ($19 million) in addition to 15 million euros ($17.3 million) it provided last month for outbreak response. The European Union delegation in Washington did not immediately respond regarding Rubio’s conversation with von der Leyen.
During congressional hearings last week, Democrats criticized Rubio concerning the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and its potential impact on Ebola response efforts. Rubio maintained that early detection programs have been incorporated into health agreements with African countries and that the U.S. “response has been very quick.”
