That Donald Trump is unpopular on the international stage is relevant in a variety of ways, but during his first term, the world’s woeful attitudes toward the Republican had little effect on international travelers and their willingness to visit the United States.
In his second term, as the president imposes destabilizing trade tariffs on countries around the world, it’s a very different story. In fact, as MSNBC’s Chris Hayes put it, the White House has effectively launched a “war on tourism.”
An Axios report added that international tourism to the U.S. is “falling fast,” and the jobs associated with the industry “are being threatened.” Looking solely at German tourists, the number of visitors dropped 28% in March 2025 as compared to March 2024. That coincided with a CBC report that noted, “The number of cross-border travelers going from Canada to the U.S. dropped by nearly 900,000 in March compared to the same month last year … easily one of the worst year-over-year drops recorded outside of the COVID-19 health crisis.”
A report in Fortune noted that a Goldman Sachs analysis estimated that in a worst-case scenario, “the hit this year from reduced travel and boycotts could total 0.3% of gross domestic product, which would amount to almost $90 billion.”
Ideally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio would make clear to the world that the U.S. is open for business and eager to welcome visitors. Instead, Trump’s chief diplomat authored a piece for Fox News that was unmistakably hostile toward would-be tourists.
Visiting America is not an entitlement. It is a privilege extended to those who respect our laws and values. And, as secretary of state, I will never forget that. U.S. law lays out clear rules about who can and cannot come to the United States. The State Department’s consular officers are required to apply these rules to each of the millions of visa applicants around the world each year. … We expect — and the law requires — all visa holders to demonstrate their eligibility every day their visa is valid. This includes respecting our laws, behaving appropriately according to their visa type, and continuing to meet these standards throughout their stay in our country.
A welcome mat it was not. For what it’s worth, Rubio is from Florida, and as a Florida native, I’m comfortable reminding the secretary of state that tourism represents a significant chunk of that state’s economy. Indeed, just last year, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration, Florida’s tourism industry hit a new high in 2024. If state officials were expecting to set a new record in 2025, they probably ought to start lowering their expectations.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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