[Editor’s note: “vladimir putin” and “russia” are not capitalized in this article per Ukraine’s official stance to no longer capitalize these words due to the atrocity of putin’s crimes against humanity.]
Every day, it seems like the news out of russia gets stranger and stranger. Amid the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, russia recently released a list of Americans banned from entering the country.
The list is as long as your arm (nearly 1,000 Americans are on the list) and might as well be a puzzle. Many experts have spent time trying to figure out why some people are banned and others are not. And the list includes things that are truly head-scratching, including banning a number of Americans who are already dead!
However, the biggest news about the list is that it leaves off one big name. What prominent Americans are banned, who is conspicuously not banned, and what does this list even mean? Keep reading to discover the answers!
Is this list a big deal?
One natural question that people have is whether this list is a big deal or not. After all, one of the major world powers just banned nearly 1,000 Americans from setting foot inside the country’s borders.
The general consensus is that the list isn’t a big deal. In the short-term, as some on the list have joked, most of the banned had no plans to visit russia anytime soon. In the long term, while this list is meant to be “permanent,” it’s likely only to be as permanent as vladimir putin. Considering the frequent rumors that putin both has severe cancer (the Independent reports he may have three years to live) and is actively dodging assassination attempts, the list may not matter at all when the country ends up with a different leader.
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Donald Trump was left off the list
The biggest news regarding the list was that Donald Trump (along with his vice president, Mike Pence) was left off of it. While it’s impossible to know for sure, many assume this is due to the seemingly-cozy relationship Donald Trump and vladimir putin previously enjoyed.
As president, Trump frequently went out of his way to praise putin. The FBI has even reported that russian meddling helped Trump win his first election. And, of course, Trump was impeached over his withholding military aid from Ukraine because he wanted the country to investigate his political opponent Joe Biden.
Put it all together and putin may have left Trump off the list as a kind of “quid pro quo.” putin may also be leaving the door open in case Trump wins the 2024 presidential election.
Barack Obama and George W. Bush are not banned either
It’s worth noting that both Barack Obama and George W. Bush were also left off the ban list. The most likely explanation is that both of these former presidents’ political days are long behind them. Somehow, though, we don’t see Obama or Bush traveling to russia anytime soon.
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Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are banned
Perhaps the least-surprising names on the ban list are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. While there are some surprises on the list, most of it is comprised of people that putin considers to be political enemies. Accordingly, the president and vice president of the United States are at the top of the list!
Biden has spoken out against the invasion and putin multiple times. Now, the Washington Post confirms that Biden is planning to send long-range rocket systems to help Ukraine fight against russia. It’s no surprise putin doesn’t want to see Biden or Harris set foot in russia in the near future.
Many lawmakers are banned
A large chunk of the ban list includes various American lawmakers. This includes Nancy Pelosi, Mitt Romney, Jim Jordan, Liz Cheney, and even Marjorie Taylor Greene. It’s particularly surprising to see Greene on the ban list since the Independent reports she was recently criticized for repeating various putin talking points on the national stage!
But it makes sense that putin would want to ban lawmakers that could negatively impact russia. At the same time, the list of lawmakers has some surprises on there. While we expected to see many Democrats on there, there are quite a few Republican Trump allies as well, including Matt Gaetz, Lindsay Graham, and Mitch McConnell.
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Jen Psaki is banned
Jen Psaki is among the many names on this list. This is most likely due to the fact that, until very recently, she served as Biden’s White House Press Secretary before exiting the job to work at MSNBC.
Of course, putin may have wanted her out of the country because Psaki is known for her sharp and sarcastic wit. For example, once she found out her name was on the list, Psaki took to Twitter to jokingly write “I guess we will have to cancel our August family trip to Moscow …”
Still, while Psaki and other political figures are not surprising bans, there are a few shocking Hollywood celebrities who have made the list too!
Surprising choices on the list
As we said before, much of the list makes a kind of sense. We’re not too surprised to see various politicians and journalists on there, especially if they have been critical of russia or putin in the past.
However, there are still some names that surprised us. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg is banned, so the only way he’ll be traveling to russia anytime soon is inside his Metaverse. Actor Morgan Freeman is on the list, as is director Rob Reiner. Some have speculated these two are on the list for speaking out against russian disinformation.
While most of the famous people who are banned didn’t comment, Rob Reiner (known for his cheeky sense of humor) couldn’t resist. As he told Deadline, “No comment, except to say that I’m heartbroken and will have to live with the disappointment.” Very dry wit, but what else would you expect from the director of The Princess Bride?
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Even the dead are banned
Perhaps the weirdest part of putin’s ban list is that it includes various people who are already deceased. This includes former U.S. senators John McCain, Harry Reid, and Orrin Hatch. It’s possible that their inclusion on this list is proof the list has been a long time coming from russia. It may also be possible that even violent world leaders with several axes to grind could benefit from a good editor!