Wole Soyinka Says Trump Ordered His US Visa Revocation After Criticizing Him
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has revealed that the United States government revoked his visa because he criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him a “petty-minded dictator.” Soyinka made this known in an interview with BBC News Pidgin where he explained that his comments about Trump led to what he described as a direct act of retaliation from the U.S. authorities.
The 91-year-old writer said he was informed by the U.S. Consulate in Lagos that his visa had been withdrawn and that he would need to reapply if he wished to travel to America again. He displayed the official letter during an interview on Tuesday, explaining that the letter asked him to bring in his passport for physical cancellation.
Soyinka stated that he had predicted such actions long ago when Trump first came into office. According to him, Trump’s leadership style reminded him of Uganda’s former military ruler Idi Amin, whom history remembers for harsh rule and oppression.
He added that when Trump became president, he had already warned that Trump would begin targeting groups and individuals he viewed as opponents. In Soyinka’s words, “I said it before, but many people did not believe me.”
Soyinka also reminded Nigerians that when Trump first entered office in 2016, he had symbolically cut up his U.S. Green Card. He said he did this because of Trump’s “racist rhetoric” during the election campaign, which he found disturbing and disappointing. According to him, the tone of Trump’s speeches was very different from what he observed during Barack Obama’s campaigns, which he felt represented hope and unity.
The author explained that after Trump assumed office, cases of police violence against Black Americans increased, and the atmosphere in the country became tense for many minorities. He said this confirmed his beliefs about the direction America was taking under Trump’s leadership.
He noted that, at first, when he received the letter about his visa, he thought it was a scam message. But after careful examination, he realized the matter was serious and official. The letter stated that the cancellation was based on “new information” that had become available after the visa was issued.
Soyinka also mentioned that he had previously been audited by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and had visited the embassy to request a temporary visa to travel. He said U.S. officials treated him respectfully at the time and issued him a short-term visa. However, it is that same visa that has now been revoked and labeled as an issue of concern.
Soyinka concluded by saying that the entire situation only confirmed the point he has been making for years—that powerful leaders often react strongly when criticized, especially if they view the criticism as personal.
