British-born CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour revealed on her podcast “The Ex Files” that she recently approached a trip to the United States with the same level of caution she would use when visiting a hostile country like North Korea.
Speaking with her ex-husband Jamie Rubin, a former U.S. State Department official, Amanpour described her concerns ahead of a speech she delivered at Harvard Kennedy School last month. Despite her global media prominence, she admitted feeling intense anxiety about passing through U.S. border security.
“I must say, I was afraid,” she said. “I’m a foreigner. I don’t have a green card. I’m not a U.S. citizen. I’m fairly well-known, and I literally prepared to go to America as if I were going to North Korea. I took a burner phone—imagine that. I didn’t bring my mobile, my iPad, nothing. The burner had only a few numbers.”
She said her apprehension was driven by reports of other British travelers being detained or turned away at U.S. entry points. After consulting CNN’s security team, she remained uneasy. Ultimately, however, she described her experience at the border as surprisingly pleasant, noting the immigration officer “could not have been nicer.”
Reflecting on the ordeal, Amanpour questioned how others might feel if even someone of her stature felt afraid. Rubin echoed her concerns, criticizing Donald Trump’s immigration policies. He referred to the Trump-era targeting of foreign students and immigrants as part of a broader attack on American openness.
“Trump’s weaponization of immigration services has turned suspicion toward every non-American,” Rubin said. “It’s a betrayal of what the U.S. has stood for since its founding.”
