Trump Slams Immigration in Late-Night Thanksgiving Message

By Hannah Parry and Robert BirselShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

President Donald Trump shared a late-night holiday message on Thursday, in which he blasted Americans who he said had allowed the U.S. "to be divided, disrupted, carved up" over immigration.

He also announced that he will "permanently pause" immigration from all "Third World" countries and remove anyone who is not a "net asset" to the United States.

Why It Matters

The shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C., by a suspected gunman from Afghanistan on Wednesday has reignited concerns about security and the vetting of immigrants.

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Trump has linked the incident to the debate on immigration, which is at the core of his second term in the White House.

His condemnation of some immigrants and any new ban on immigration could throw into disarray the lives of innumerable potential migrants and their families while emboldening and encouraging his admirers, both at home and those in other Western countries pushing for similar policies.

What To Know

"A very Happy Thanksgiving salutation to all of our Great American Citizens and Patriots who have been so nice in allowing our Country to be divided, disrupted, carved up, murdered, beaten, mugged, and laughed at, along with certain other foolish countries throughout the World, for being "Politically Correct," and just plain STUPID, when it comes to Immigration," he wrote on Truth Social at around 11.30 p.m. ET.

The message strikes a starkly different tone from the formal Thanksgiving proclamation he shared earlier in the day, calling for national unity, gratitude to God and reflection on American history.

Trump said the official U.S. "foreign population" stood at 53 million people "most of which are on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels."

"They and their children are supported through massive payments from Patriotic American Citizens who, because of their beautiful hearts, do not want to openly complain or cause trouble in any way, shape, or form," Trump said. "They put up with what has happened to our Country, but it’s eating them alive to do so!"

"This refugee burden is the leading cause of social dysfunction in America, something that did not exist after World War II (Failed schools, high crime, urban decay, overcrowded hospitals, housing shortages, and large deficits, etc.)," he said.

Trump took aid at Democrats in his message, including Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota who Trump described as "seriously retarded," adding that he "does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both."

Newsweek contacted Walz’s office for comment by email outside of business hours.

In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump announced his ban on all immigrants from the "Third World," and blamed the administration of former President Joe Biden for allowing unfettered immigration.

"I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country," he said.

Trump’s supporters argue that he has a mandate from the American people to address illegal and dangerous immigration and that the U.S. has the right to control its borders.

What People Are Saying

Trump said on Truth Social: "These goals will be pursued with the aim of achieving a major reduction in illegal and disruptive populations, including those admitted through an unauthorized and illegal Autopen approval process. Only REVERSE MIGRATION can fully cure this situation. Other than that, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, except those that hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for — You won’t be here for long!"

What Happens Next

Trump’s ban on immigrants from developing nations is likely to face legal challenges, as his 2017 ban on people from seven majority Muslim countries did.

Update 11/28/2025 3:27 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.

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