The US government is reviewing the recent designation of Romania into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) “to ensure adherence to VWP’s stringent security requirements,” according to a notice published by Homeland Security on March 26. The notice was published less than a week before the planned enforcement of the programme, without specifying a specific deferral period other than “until the United States completes its review”.

The decision has given rise to speculation that it is linked to Romania’s decision to annul its 2024 presidential election and ban the frontrunner, far-right, pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu, from running in the rescheduled election in May. The decision to cancel the election has been strongly criticised by members of the Trump administration in the US, including Vice President JD Vance.

The notice was published just a couple of days after the US embassy in Romania posted two messages: first was a quote from Vance’s February 14 speech in Munich, in which he accused Romania of annulling the presidential elections “on flimsy evidences and following immense pressure of the European states”, and later a warning to those travelling to the US illegally. 

The former message was broadly received as just another statement in favour of Georgescu, the presidential candidate preferred by members in (or close to) the US administration.

Romania’s Constitutional Court cancelled the 2024 presidential election citing manipulation of the electoral process, reportedly carried out by entities linked to Russia.

Later, the Constitutional Court reviewed Georgescu’s compliance with the presidential position and banned him from participating in the repeated presidential elections. The candidate list was closed last week, without Georgescu. His protege, fellow far-right politician George Simion, is far from enjoying the same level of electoral support that Georgescu managed to drum up with his radical — and illegal — rhetoric.

Romanian Prime Minister Minister Ciolacu denied a connection between the Trump administration’s support for Georgescu and the decision to put the WVP on hold. 

“It is not an affront related to the [annulled] elections in Romania, as has been speculated, it is not a reflection of the tense relationship between the United States and Romania," Ciolacu commented, quoted by Ziarul Financiar. He assured Romanians that the deferral would not take “more than a couple of months” – coincidently until after Romania holds presidential elections.

Ciolacu added in a Facebook post that “we will take advantage of this — hopefully short-lasting — delay to work with our American partners to clarify all issues of concern to the US government.”

The latter message from the US embassy in Romania, on entering the US illegally, was broadly received as a justification for putting the VWP for Romania on hold. 

“Participation in the VWP requires countries to increase counterterrorism, law enforcement, and immigration enforcement cooperation with the United States,” according to the Homeland Security webpage on VWP.

In related developments, FoxNews published a report on the rising number of Romanians entering the US without the required documents after Canada relaxed entry requirements for them.

However, the lack of further details from the US draws parallels with the 11-year deferral of Romania’s Schengen membership, despite the country meeting membership criteria,