Who Is Mona Namdar? Trump Gives Visa Control to Attorney Who Urged Bans on Israel Policy Critics

President Donald Trump has handed control of America's visa system to an attorney who previously argued that criticism of US foreign policy—including support for Palestine—could justify banning people from entering the country.

Mona Namdar was sworn in this week as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, a powerful position that oversees visa approvals and revocations, passport issuance, and the welfare of US citizens overseas. The State Department announced her confirmation on 18 December, placing the 39-year-old Dallas attorney at the centre of the administration's immigration and national security agenda.

Project 2025 Connection Raises Concerns

Namdar is a contributor to Project 2025, the controversial conservative blueprint that Trump repeatedly distanced himself from during his presidential campaign. She authored a section on the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) in which she accused the federal agency of 'grave mismanagement', 'espionage-related security risks', and using 'anti-US talking points to parrot America's adversaries' propaganda', according to the Columbia Journalism Review.

The revelation has sparked criticism from civil liberties advocates who warn that her appointment signals an authoritarian shift in how America controls entry to the country. 'Trump spent the campaign pretending Project 2025 was not real. Now half of it is being implemented thru "personnel as policy" hires just like this one,' political commentator and TikTok creator @realtalkus said in a viral video analysing the appointment.

Visa Revocations for Political Speech

During her October Senate confirmation hearing, Namdar signalled she shares Secretary of State Marco Rubio's view that pro-Palestinian advocacy and criticism of Israel could constitute grounds for visa denial or revocation. In prepared testimony, she said visa decisions are a national security matter and consular officers should have authority to deny or revoke visas when individuals 'undermine US foreign policy'.

'As Secretary Rubio has emphasized, "consular officers have the responsibility to ensure that visas are issued only to individuals who meet the criteria and do not pose a threat to US interests",' Namdar told senators. 'If someone violates the terms of their visa or engages in activities that undermine our foreign policy, consular officers have the authority to revoke their visa.'

The Trump administration has previously defended arrests and deportation attempts of legal migrants based on pro-Palestinian advocacy, arguing that criticism of Israel constitutes a threat to US foreign policy of combating antisemitism.

From Beauty Salon Owner to Visa Chief

Namdar's appointment has drawn attention not only for her policy positions but also her unconventional background. The daughter of Iranian immigrants who speaks fluent Farsi, she owns a mini-chain of beauty salons called BAM in Texas, with locations in Dallas, Fort Worth*,* and Plano. She also ran a one-woman law firm until Christmas Day, when she announced the practice would no longer be active whilst she serves in government.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott defended Namdar's credentials in a statement to The Daily Beast, calling media focus on her salon ownership 'a shameful, pathetic, and quite frankly sexist way to describe her career'.

Controversial Government Record

This is not Namdar's first stint in government. She previously served as acting assistant secretary for consular affairs during Trump's first term in 2020 and most recently led the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs from May through December 2025, overseeing US policy in the Middle East and North Africa, including Gaza policy work.

Her time at the US Agency for Global Media proved particularly contentious. Namdar served as vice president of legal, compliance and risk under CEO Michael Pack, whose tenure was marked by allegations of abuse of authority. A federal investigation found Pack had 'abused his authority' and 'engaged in gross mismanagement and gross waste'. Namdar is mentioned more than 50 times in the 145-page report.

Why This Appointment Matters for Free Speech

Critics warn Namdar's appointment represents a dangerous merger of immigration enforcement and political ideology. The Bureau of Consular Affairs processes millions of visa applications annually and has sweeping authority to approve or deny entry to the United States.

'Once you normalise banning people for speech, once dissent becomes a threat, that power never stops at immigrants,' the @realtalkus commentator warned in his viral analysis. 'This is flat out authoritarian.'

Civil liberties advocates point out that turning visa decisions into tests of political loyalty could have far-reaching consequences. International students, business travellers, academics, journalists, and activists could all face scrutiny over their political views and social media posts under Namdar's leadership.