A spirited campaign aimed at boycotting American products and services has popped up in Denmark and to a lesser degree in Canada and subsequently spread to European countries, and likely will widen to other parts of the world. As Trump continues to insult and demean countries and their leaders left and right, consumer groups outside of the U.S. have published lists of American companies to shun, enablers and supporters of Trump’s regime. Why should consumers of a foreign country buy products and services from America if American leaders abuse and humiliate them? A list of non-U.S. alternatives, companies which provide competitive products and services, has been published so foreign consumers may maintain their spending preferences and spurn American companies. Economic forces would certainly coerce American companies to lobby Trump to modify his diplomatic manners. Or else! Even so, large scale, boycotting is unlikely to move the needle without significant participation and substantial downturns in the targeted companies’ profits. “Money talks and bullshit walks,” is the operative conclusion, isn’t it? The bottom-liners will let us know when reputational damage and red ink start to spill across their quarterly financial reports. Trump-weary Danish consumers have begun an aggressive and organized campaign to avoid all major U.S services and products. Many Canadians are not far behind in avoiding American products or unsubscribing from American services (Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Comcast, and so on).
An ongoing discussion, particularly among western European countries, centers on Trump's confrontational and aggressive conduct. And now as Isreal and the U.S. attack Iran and its surrogate forces in and around the Middle East, the likelihood of Iran’s football team withdrawing from World Cup play remains possible especially if bombing continues. Others may follow, depending on military actions. A few outspoken political and sports officials in Europe have suggested a boycott as well. Why not? America is seen by many as a hostile state the same as Russia. Trump loves the world stage and would enjoy being on camera to take his bows in front of a worldwide audience. Think of the attention he would receive. He has threatened to change venues of some World Cup cities dominated by Democrats to more MAGA friendly venues. What a rebuke of his hegemon role if several nations decided to boycott the World Cup.
Further, arguments have been made to bar the United States from hosting the summer Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Los Angeles. If Trump continues to use lawless military incursions counter to international laws, our country ought to be treated the same way Russia was treated after it attacked Afghanistan or more recently when it invaded Ukraine. It’s doubtful that either boycotts will take full form, but the threat of such actions ought to soften Trump’s barrage of insults and militaristic mayhems. Maybe. Highly hypothetical that such boycotts would take place unless Trump invaded Greenland or some other such outrage. Keep in mind, he is fully capable of extending inane threats far beyond reason.
At this point, it wouldn’t take much to set in motion boycotts and push-back responses even from nations historically friendly toward us. Already a sharp decline in international tourists coming to the United States from Canada and Europe has resulted because of geopolitical concerns as well as negative sentiment toward the U.S. government. Trump slump is real—nearly a year of decline in foreign visitors, down nearly 6%.
If in fact we have a dangerous and toxic government, the rest of the world’s nations would do well to be done with us for the time being until a more familiar and peaceable leadership finds its way to Washington D.C. As an embarrassed American, I see advantages in boycotting America and in making us bleed money until it hurts, until some of the hubris is shed, until the time we must say “Uncle.” As in welcoming Uncle Sam back into our daily lives.
Best way to deal with a bully regime is to separate oneself from the off-putting influence. Which means, sadly, don’t participate in their games, World Cup soccer, Olympics, whatever.