The Trump regime is pushing a paranoid new policy that will further discourage international travelers. The reputation of America's aggression is growing.
I live in New Zealand, and have dear American friends. I’ve visited several times in the past ten years - each time after completing the (formerly) easy ESTA. There was a social media question in there asking to provide links, but optional so I chose not to provide anything. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the USA and had no issues at the border. Now, due to my abhorrence of Trump and his gang of sociopathic sycophants, I’m no longer welcome because I have been vocal on Facebook in my opposition to them, and because I utterly refuse to provide the invasive new level of data they will soon be asking for.
New Zealand has been a staunch ally of the USA for over 100 years. Our soldiers, sailors, fliers and other service people fought and died for democracy alongside yours. My own father and four of his five brothers served in World War II in the shared cause of defeating the scourge of fascism. But now, it seems, we are no longer trusted allies. Your current authoritarian regime (sorry, but it’s unworthy of the title “administration”) has decided we deserve as complete an invasion of privacy as it is wanting to impose on the USA’s own residents.
I sure as heck won’t be visiting until the current nightmare is over. My friends and I can meet up in Canada or Mexico, two democracies who haven’t decided that we, former trusted friends, are their enemies.
It’s just so sad. My heart truly aches for all decent Americans who have to endure this pestilential disgrace of a “government”.
Thinking of you all - and heartfelt thanks to you, Steven, for the work you are doing. I hope and pray for a better future.
Thank you for your kind words. We decent citizens are heartbroken at what is happening to our “America”. It is no longer recognizable and many of us are truly depressed and scared.
Totally understandable, Judy. It’s hard to keep hoping, but we have to, otherwise the fascists succeed. It’s heartening that there is a strong and growing opposition. And despite what they might think, none of this mob are immortal. It will pass, but at great cost, I fear.
Thank You Steven.. I wouldn't think about coming here at all with that kind of requirement. i wouldn't care about the Olympics. We are constantly having to put in passwords for the stupist things .. God dinner reservation whatever so please ..I'm going to give over 5 years of personal info. He is infuriating. I saw Godot recently too .. I love that play. They were wonderful in it. On another note, on top of everything else, I heard Trump is asking the dems and gop to write a new healthcare plan. I would bet money he wants to slap his name on the the affordable care act and then he would sign it. If that were to happen they can say in 2026 they fixed healthcare.lost in america
Thank you for your pointing out our world in the U.S. as on Earth 2, or whatever realm this has become from this entire regime.
This past weekend friends for close to 50 years who approximately 10 to 12 years ago decided to retire abroad in Portugal informed their extensive family and friends that they for the first time will not be returning to the U.S. this coming January. They’ve returned every year since their retirement for approximately those 10 to 12 years. This was before the additional announcement of
“to provide social media content for the last five years, their “high value data,” including their residences and personal and business phone numbers for the last five years, their family members’ phone numbers for the last five years, as well as personal and business email addresses for the last ten years”
From the understanding of this new announcement it may have to do with people who don’t have visa’s however that really isn’t the point. It’s the sheer fact that this is yet another step in a clear message to anyone abroad, whether a U.S. citizen returning to visit family and friends or anyone who would otherwise think to travel to our country. It really makes no difference if residing in any of the “shit-hole” countries that the list grows longer hour by hour it’s just pretty much all countries at this point with the exception of Norway, or Sweden.
These dear friends are still US citizens and have their passports updated to ensure international travel. They also have dual citizenship due to their descendants which gave them the opportunity to acquire that freedom to have both.
The amount of horror, concerns etc. that they expressed as to what is currently going on in this country is palpable. They are very concerned as to their family, friends and just basically all Americans that are not a part of this regimes ideas and ideologies as to who we seem to quickly becoming from those abroad viewing our current downfall. They are quite aware that there are more people in this nation with their same thoughts.
The point is this even US citizens who are living abroad are not returning, as they have been for multiple years. Does anyone think that those who would travel to this country to attend any of these FIFA upcoming events will take a chance to step one foot here? How about the 2028 Olympics hosted by Los Angeles California? Think anyone from abroad even the athletes may be having second thoughts of traveling here? Let’s even go further if you want to attend the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan & Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy do you think you may just sail through customs on your return back as even a U.S. citizen?
Isolation in the 21st century will not bode well for anyone…neither will Fascism
Imho, the WH plan for visitors to provide their internet history, family phone numbers, and 10 years worth of personal phone numbers and email addresses is the most bonkers thing I have ever heard. Of course it will cause tourism to decline in large numbers. I don’t know what “genius” came up with this insanity, but I know I wouldn’t visit a country with similar requirements.
I say... brilliant .. we shall stop "Waiting For Godot" and get our asses in gear... that trump delights in the blatant "rape of our country, its tenets & values" tells us all we need to know .... the maga supremes have blood on their hands supporting all these monsters ...Indiana was a true shining light in this fog... you can push "the salt of the earth" just so far and then they say "enough"..Thank you Indiana
"Elections have consequences. A man like this never belonged near the levers of power. Not the first time. And certainly not this second time when everything was knowable." You said it all in four sentences, Steven, Never has there been a lethal mixture of malevolence, stupidity, greed, pettiness, and covetousness in a leader of our nation and possibly in world history. He has caused us to be international pariahs, and is now leading us into possible wars, all the while destroying our society with his racism and destructive fiscal policies. We have done this to ourselves. Such national stupidity is being punished a thousandfold. Will we learn from this?!
I’m surprised tourism is down only 8%. Who on earth would want to come to this fascist country and maybe wind up in a concentration camp. This is an insane regime that is driving us off a cliff.
Well, maybe that’s the reason for the new policies. In some border states like the NE, international tourism is down about 30%. Their usual harassment, phone / social media searches and detainments aren’t keeping enough ‘foreigners’ out. Not enough billion$ being lost to US businesses.
It’s a daily battle to keep one’s head above water but the world of Substacks written with sanity and precision (and care) have helped immeasurably. I’m careful about who I read since there is so much . Your stack, HCR, Joyce Vance, Charlie Sykes, pod save America and pod save the world are some of my “go to’s”. I am surprised to read so many never trumpers REPUBLICANS now. Never would have imagined doing so after the Nixon years. But I keep learning. I share a lot and attend all the demonstrations. And a new side benefit—i never realized how special America was until it was threatened this way. Late comer to the civics lesson of my life. I’ll do whatever I can to find the way back to that shining city on the hill and hope for so many oppressed people around the world.
One of your phrases: “civilization erasure” a warning apparently by Trump for other countries to embrace Far Right “Hitler-esque” policies -to avoid “civilization erasure.”
I just finished trying to verify something I read quite startling to me!
I’ll include the fact check statement to explain:
“There IS a proposed DHS rule backed by the Trump administration that could allow requiring
DNA tests
for people involved in immigration benefit processes.”
• “❌ There is no finalized policy yet that mandates DNA tests for all people coming to the United States.” 🇺🇸
• “📣 There’s no direct public quote from Trump himself saying “everyone coming to the U.S. must take a DNA test.”
Steven at the same time his Commerce Department is offering a golden pass for a $1 million. It has of course his image on it. It jumps you ahead of the line for a tourist visa. For $5 million you get an extended stay version.
This is so beautifully said, in all its horror and what recent events seem to portend for our democracy and the human condition. I say human condition because we have tried to set the standard for what that means with our partners and friends, but now America is “Peck’s Bad Boy.”
The American people’s hopes, dreams and democratic striving for a better and multi-cultural society have been thrown into the washing machine with right wing and racist propaganda. The administration claims they are just ‘cleaning up’, but we can expect to be stained, perhaps permanently. Only time will tell. Is it already too late?
Yes indeed, Stephen.
I live in New Zealand, and have dear American friends. I’ve visited several times in the past ten years - each time after completing the (formerly) easy ESTA. There was a social media question in there asking to provide links, but optional so I chose not to provide anything. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the USA and had no issues at the border. Now, due to my abhorrence of Trump and his gang of sociopathic sycophants, I’m no longer welcome because I have been vocal on Facebook in my opposition to them, and because I utterly refuse to provide the invasive new level of data they will soon be asking for.
New Zealand has been a staunch ally of the USA for over 100 years. Our soldiers, sailors, fliers and other service people fought and died for democracy alongside yours. My own father and four of his five brothers served in World War II in the shared cause of defeating the scourge of fascism. But now, it seems, we are no longer trusted allies. Your current authoritarian regime (sorry, but it’s unworthy of the title “administration”) has decided we deserve as complete an invasion of privacy as it is wanting to impose on the USA’s own residents.
I sure as heck won’t be visiting until the current nightmare is over. My friends and I can meet up in Canada or Mexico, two democracies who haven’t decided that we, former trusted friends, are their enemies.
It’s just so sad. My heart truly aches for all decent Americans who have to endure this pestilential disgrace of a “government”.
Thinking of you all - and heartfelt thanks to you, Steven, for the work you are doing. I hope and pray for a better future.
Thank you for your kind words. We decent citizens are heartbroken at what is happening to our “America”. It is no longer recognizable and many of us are truly depressed and scared.
Totally understandable, Judy. It’s hard to keep hoping, but we have to, otherwise the fascists succeed. It’s heartening that there is a strong and growing opposition. And despite what they might think, none of this mob are immortal. It will pass, but at great cost, I fear.
". . . this pestilential disgrace of a 'government.'"
This is the best description of the Trump regime I've heard yet!
Thanks, Nadine! I have a few more, but most of them aren’t as polite as that 😂😂😂
Yes, I've got a few of my own--definitely not publishable!
Thanks for continuing to bring core, otherwise under-reported issues to the fore, Steve.
"I would think twice about visiting." I wouldn't think even that many times.
Me, neither.
Thank You Steven.. I wouldn't think about coming here at all with that kind of requirement. i wouldn't care about the Olympics. We are constantly having to put in passwords for the stupist things .. God dinner reservation whatever so please ..I'm going to give over 5 years of personal info. He is infuriating. I saw Godot recently too .. I love that play. They were wonderful in it. On another note, on top of everything else, I heard Trump is asking the dems and gop to write a new healthcare plan. I would bet money he wants to slap his name on the the affordable care act and then he would sign it. If that were to happen they can say in 2026 they fixed healthcare.lost in america
Thank you for your pointing out our world in the U.S. as on Earth 2, or whatever realm this has become from this entire regime.
This past weekend friends for close to 50 years who approximately 10 to 12 years ago decided to retire abroad in Portugal informed their extensive family and friends that they for the first time will not be returning to the U.S. this coming January. They’ve returned every year since their retirement for approximately those 10 to 12 years. This was before the additional announcement of
“to provide social media content for the last five years, their “high value data,” including their residences and personal and business phone numbers for the last five years, their family members’ phone numbers for the last five years, as well as personal and business email addresses for the last ten years”
From the understanding of this new announcement it may have to do with people who don’t have visa’s however that really isn’t the point. It’s the sheer fact that this is yet another step in a clear message to anyone abroad, whether a U.S. citizen returning to visit family and friends or anyone who would otherwise think to travel to our country. It really makes no difference if residing in any of the “shit-hole” countries that the list grows longer hour by hour it’s just pretty much all countries at this point with the exception of Norway, or Sweden.
These dear friends are still US citizens and have their passports updated to ensure international travel. They also have dual citizenship due to their descendants which gave them the opportunity to acquire that freedom to have both.
The amount of horror, concerns etc. that they expressed as to what is currently going on in this country is palpable. They are very concerned as to their family, friends and just basically all Americans that are not a part of this regimes ideas and ideologies as to who we seem to quickly becoming from those abroad viewing our current downfall. They are quite aware that there are more people in this nation with their same thoughts.
The point is this even US citizens who are living abroad are not returning, as they have been for multiple years. Does anyone think that those who would travel to this country to attend any of these FIFA upcoming events will take a chance to step one foot here? How about the 2028 Olympics hosted by Los Angeles California? Think anyone from abroad even the athletes may be having second thoughts of traveling here? Let’s even go further if you want to attend the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan & Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy do you think you may just sail through customs on your return back as even a U.S. citizen?
Isolation in the 21st century will not bode well for anyone…neither will Fascism
To say nothing of the million dollars to buy American citizenship.
Imho, the WH plan for visitors to provide their internet history, family phone numbers, and 10 years worth of personal phone numbers and email addresses is the most bonkers thing I have ever heard. Of course it will cause tourism to decline in large numbers. I don’t know what “genius” came up with this insanity, but I know I wouldn’t visit a country with similar requirements.
So much for TOURISM
I say... brilliant .. we shall stop "Waiting For Godot" and get our asses in gear... that trump delights in the blatant "rape of our country, its tenets & values" tells us all we need to know .... the maga supremes have blood on their hands supporting all these monsters ...Indiana was a true shining light in this fog... you can push "the salt of the earth" just so far and then they say "enough"..Thank you Indiana
Beautifully written piece. Love the reference to Waiting for Godot.
Hell Steven, I have second thoughts about even staying here at 75 yo.
"Elections have consequences. A man like this never belonged near the levers of power. Not the first time. And certainly not this second time when everything was knowable." You said it all in four sentences, Steven, Never has there been a lethal mixture of malevolence, stupidity, greed, pettiness, and covetousness in a leader of our nation and possibly in world history. He has caused us to be international pariahs, and is now leading us into possible wars, all the while destroying our society with his racism and destructive fiscal policies. We have done this to ourselves. Such national stupidity is being punished a thousandfold. Will we learn from this?!
I’m surprised tourism is down only 8%. Who on earth would want to come to this fascist country and maybe wind up in a concentration camp. This is an insane regime that is driving us off a cliff.
Well, maybe that’s the reason for the new policies. In some border states like the NE, international tourism is down about 30%. Their usual harassment, phone / social media searches and detainments aren’t keeping enough ‘foreigners’ out. Not enough billion$ being lost to US businesses.
It’s a daily battle to keep one’s head above water but the world of Substacks written with sanity and precision (and care) have helped immeasurably. I’m careful about who I read since there is so much . Your stack, HCR, Joyce Vance, Charlie Sykes, pod save America and pod save the world are some of my “go to’s”. I am surprised to read so many never trumpers REPUBLICANS now. Never would have imagined doing so after the Nixon years. But I keep learning. I share a lot and attend all the demonstrations. And a new side benefit—i never realized how special America was until it was threatened this way. Late comer to the civics lesson of my life. I’ll do whatever I can to find the way back to that shining city on the hill and hope for so many oppressed people around the world.
Thank you for your thoughts, Peggy.
Provoking! Thank you
One of your phrases: “civilization erasure” a warning apparently by Trump for other countries to embrace Far Right “Hitler-esque” policies -to avoid “civilization erasure.”
I just finished trying to verify something I read quite startling to me!
I’ll include the fact check statement to explain:
“There IS a proposed DHS rule backed by the Trump administration that could allow requiring
DNA tests
for people involved in immigration benefit processes.”
• “❌ There is no finalized policy yet that mandates DNA tests for all people coming to the United States.” 🇺🇸
• “📣 There’s no direct public quote from Trump himself saying “everyone coming to the U.S. must take a DNA test.”
https://www.federalregister.gov/
Yes! Rage against this!
💙🇺🇸💙
Excerpt: from your article:
Didi in “Waiting for Godot”
“Let us do something, while we have the chance...at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not.
Let us make the most of it before it is too late!
Let us represent worthily for once the foul brood to which a cruel fate consigned us!”
Yes
Steven at the same time his Commerce Department is offering a golden pass for a $1 million. It has of course his image on it. It jumps you ahead of the line for a tourist visa. For $5 million you get an extended stay version.
This is so beautifully said, in all its horror and what recent events seem to portend for our democracy and the human condition. I say human condition because we have tried to set the standard for what that means with our partners and friends, but now America is “Peck’s Bad Boy.”
The American people’s hopes, dreams and democratic striving for a better and multi-cultural society have been thrown into the washing machine with right wing and racist propaganda. The administration claims they are just ‘cleaning up’, but we can expect to be stained, perhaps permanently. Only time will tell. Is it already too late?
We are now the authentic “Ugly Americans.”
Very true, Judy!
We can build a better country and future. We’ve done it before. The next generation will lead the way. They already are.
https://open.substack.com/pub/albellenchia/p/can-we-build-it?r=7wk5d&utm_medium=ios
Let us do something “and keep doing it”. Advice from Timothy Snyder