Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday called European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss U.S. and European coordination on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the State Department said in a statement.
“The department’s highest priority and focus remain protecting the health of the American people and preventing this Ebola outbreak from reaching our shores,” the statement said.
A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, was more blunt: The U.S. “has stepped up” to confront the outbreak and “now the world must do more to step up as well.”
The administration is telling European nations that they need to step up their travel restrictions for people coming to the continent from Ebola-hit countries in Africa. The administration hinted that failure to do so may result in increased U.S. regulations on travel from Europe, including for the World Cup soccer tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a global health emergency on May 16, as cases surged past 900 in eastern Congo. The outbreak, caused by a rare strain of the virus, has also spread to Uganda.
The Trump administration has taken other steps to address the outbreak. Last month, the administration announced plans to send Americans exposed to the Ebola virus to a treatment facility in Kenya. The administration has also suspended visa bonds for World Cup ticket holders from five African nations, a move announced in mid-May.
European nations have implemented their own travel measures, but the U.S. is pressing for more stringent action. The call between Rubio and von der Leyen was described as part of ongoing coordination efforts.
The outbreak has raised concerns about international travel during the World Cup, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to North America. The U.S. has already imposed restrictions on travelers from affected countries, and the administration is now pushing Europe to follow suit.
The State Department said the call with von der Leyen covered “U.S. and European coordination and response efforts” to the Ebola outbreak. The administration’s intensified pressure on Europe comes as cases in the affected region continue to climb and the World Cup, scheduled for June through July 2026, draws closer.