How Trump’s Tariffs Have Sparked a Global “Boycott USA” Movement
The tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump on Canada, Mexico, and China have not only ignited trade wars but also fueled a growing global consumer backlash against American goods. This movement, known as “Boycott USA,” has gained significant traction worldwide.
Over the past week, Google searches for “Boycott USA” have surged, particularly in European countries and Canada. Many nations have also established dedicated Facebook groups advocating for the boycott of U.S. products.
Trump’s proposal to acquire Greenland, Denmark’s semi-autonomous territory, has further fueled resistance. A Danish Facebook group supporting the boycott has amassed approximately 73,000 members and ranks second in search interest, following Luxembourg.
Sweden is the fourth-largest source of “Boycott USA” searches on Google, with 80,000 members in its Facebook group, which promotes the platform as the “best weapon” against American goods.
Meanwhile, France has launched a “BOYCOTT USA: Buy French and European!” campaign, which ranks third in Google searches and has attracted 20,000 members.
Even Canada, one of the United States’ closest allies, is at the forefront of the movement, ranking fifth in Google searches for “Boycott USA.” The country has seen a surge in nationalist sentiment, with “Canada is not for sale” hats becoming increasingly popular. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has also expressed his support, canceling a $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink in protest.
In response, several Canadian provinces have removed American-made alcohol from store shelves. Lawson Whiting, CEO of Brown-Forman (the company behind Jack Daniel’s), criticized Canada’s actions, calling them “worse than tariffs” and “disproportionate” to the U.S. levies.
“I mean, that’s worse than a tariff because it’s literally taking your sales away—completely removing our products from the shelves,” Whiting said.
A recent survey of 3,310 Canadians found that 98% actively seek “Made in Canada” products when shopping.
The economic impact extends beyond consumer goods. The U.S. Travel Association has warned that a 10% decline in Canadian visitors could result in “$2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses.” Road trips from Canada to the U.S. reportedly fell by 23% last month compared to the previous year.
Musk’s Tesla has also suffered significant losses worldwide. In Germany, where Musk has voiced support for a far-right political party, Tesla sales plummeted by nearly 70% compared to January of the previous year. According to Time magazine, Tesla sold only 7,517 vehicles in Europe in January—half of what it sold during the same month the year before. Sales have also dropped by 50% in Portugal, 45% in France, 42% in Sweden, and 48% in Norway, according to Reuters.
Amid these developments, Trump took to Truth Social this week, claiming:
“Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla.”
The ongoing backlash against U.S. products suggests that Trump’s tariffs and policies have triggered widespread resistance, with consumers and businesses worldwide increasingly distancing themselves from American goods.
