Rep. Nancy Mace criticizes media’s double standard on travel bans from Biden and Trump

Representative Nancy Mace criticized the media’s double standard between President Biden’s travel restrictions and the similar bans placed last year by then-President Donald Trump.

“The crazy part is, when President Trump did this, he was labeled as racist,” Ms. Mace said on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. “But when President Biden does it, it’s seemingly entirely okay. That is the problem with politics and a lot of the mainstream media coverage today and social media. They don’t treat Republicans and Democrats equally.”

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) deemed Omicron a “variant of concern,” countries around the world have imposed stricter travel restrictions. President Biden announced new travel restrictions for travelers coming from eight African countries to prevent further transmission of the new virus.

The travel restrictions apply to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

Biden criticized Trump’s decision to block travel from parts of Africa, mainland China and Europe last year due to COVID-19 concerns. Mr. Biden suggested the measure was rooted in “xenophobia.”

“We are in the midst of a crisis with the coronavirus. We need to lead the way with science — not Donald Trump’s record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering,” Mr. Biden tweeted in February 2020.

We are in the midst of a crisis with the coronavirus. We need to lead the way with science — not Donald Trump’s record of hysteria, xenophobia, and fear-mongering. He is the worst possible person to lead our country through a global health emergency.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 1, 2020

Similarly, in March Biden tweeted that banning travel from Europe would not stop the disease and what the world needed was a plan to combat it.

A wall will not stop the coronavirus.

Banning all travel from Europe — or any other part of the world — will not stop it.

This disease could impact every nation and any person on the planet — and we need a plan to combat it.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 13, 2020

Regarding Africa, Biden tweeted at the time that "Trump further diminished the U.S. in the eyes of the world by expanding his travel ban. This new 'African Ban,' is designed to make it harder for black and brown people to immigrate to the United States. It’s a disgrace, and we cannot let him succeed."

Despite previously criticizing Trump’s decisions to ban travel from certain countries, the media have been largely silent in terms of criticizing Biden's travel ban, and in fact are generally commending his actions.