What Does Vetting Mean? Trump’s ‘Extreme’ Executive Order Explained

Most civil rights groups across the nation denounced President Donald Trump’s order Friday about “extreme vetting,” but not everyone is sure what the language means.

On the surface, Merriam-Webster defines “vetting” the following way: “To evaluate for possible approval or acceptance.”

When Trump made the order, the lookups spiked Friday, Merriam-Webster wrote. In accordance with Trump’s executive action to block the entry of foreign nationals for 90 days from seven predominantly Muslim countries— Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq—Merriam-Webster updated their definition.

It reads: “As a verb vet has several senses: it may refer to the providing of medical care (to an animal or a person), or to evaluate a person or thing, either as an appraisal, or for approval. It is the last of these senses that was being employed by President Trump.”

Part of the president’s Friday order stated that, “In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country” don't have “hostile attitudes” to our nation's “founding principles.”

It added: “The United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including ‘honor’ killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation.”

Additionally, refugee admission was halted for 120 days and all Syrian refugees were banned until “sufficient changes” were made to the program. When refugees are allowed back into the country, fewer will be admitted. In 2016, former President Barack Obama set the limit at 85,000. In 2017, the limit is slated to be 50,000.

Trump claimed the move would help protect Christians in the Middle East. “Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW. Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world - a horrible mess!” he tweeted from his personal account Sunday. “Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers. We cannot allow this horror to continue!”

Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella