Donald Trump returned to office and immediately signed over 200 executive orders, sparking widespread controversy. Among them, the “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism” order mandates recognition of only two genders, male and female, stating, “These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.” As a result, non-binary ‘X’ gender markers on passports, introduced under Biden, are now suspended. Current ‘X’ passports remain valid for now, but renewals face uncertainty, with guidance expected soon.

This decision impacts about 16,700 non-binary Americans annually and deals a significant blow to the LGBTQ+ community, though its effect on general travel is expected to be minimal.

Additionally, Trump plans to reinstate his “travel ban,” restricting entry from certain regions. “We didn’t take people from certain areas…because I didn’t want people ripping down and burning our shopping centres,” he explained. These measures could affect America’s tourism numbers, which reached 66.5 million in 2023.