Are Americans Still Welcome in Europe Right Now?

Every summer, Americans flock to Europe to get their cultural fix: a visit to the Vatican here, a selfie and guided tour at the Parthenon there.

Generally, they’re met by friendly Europeans on their treks on the continent. But as anti-American sentiment grows across the globe due to trade wars and actual wars, some travelers may worry: Will American visitors encounter a cooler reception across Europe on their summer trips?

Last spring, the risk management company Global Rescue conducted a survey that found 72% of “experienced” U.S. travelers expected Americans to be less welcome abroad in 2025 ― and that was before President Donald Trump made some of his more erratic geopolitical moves.

Since then, the Trump administration has antagonized longtime allies by dismissing NATO and pressuring European countries over Greenland. Trump has launched military strikes in Venezuela, and now partnered with Israel in a war with Iran that has escalated into the largest Middle East conflict in more than two decades, all while having no clear plan for what comes next.

With some traveling Americans wondering how they’ll be perceived, we turned to Europeans and longtime U.S. expats to get their perspective: What’s their perception of U.S. travelers these days? Do they recognize that America is not a monolith, or are we living up to the “ugly American” idea?

“I’d describe the current sentiment toward Americans as a mix of ‘poor you’ and ‘what is going on in your home country?’ but not hostility,” said Céline Flores-Tavukcuoglu, the CEO and founder of Céline Concierge, a Paris-based relocation and lifestyle concierge for international clients.

“From my experience, Europeans are far more likely to judge American political leadership than to judge the American people,” Flores-Tavukcuoglu said.

Ken Schultz, a political science professor at Stanford University who has been living in Zurich while on sabbatical since October, agrees.

While a Pew Research Center study last summer found positive perception of the U.S. has declined in many countries amid low confidence in Trump, Schultz said many people still distinguish between the president and the American public.

“In my personal experience, I have never faced any friction from Europeans when they figure out that I am American,” the professor told HuffPost. “At most, there is an occasional good-natured quip like, ‘Are you sure you want to go back?’”

Schultz said his sense is that many in Europe feel confused and, in some cases, betrayed by U.S. foreign policy, but that doesn’t generally translate into hostility toward American tourists.

“I would say the bigger concern for American tourists is that the dollar has dropped considerably relative to the euro, pound and Swiss franc since Trump came into office,” he said. “Americans are still welcome, but their dollar won’t go as far.”

If you travel abroad, be prepared for some interesting conversations. There’s always potential that you’ll be on the receiving end of a rant about Trump, too. Roman Lillie, an American author and YouTuber living abroad in Paris, can attest to that.

“I had a negative encounter just last week with a woman from West Africa who was curt to me at a market, while angrily complaining that she ‘doesn’t like Trump,’” Lillie told HuffPost.

As a fellow woman of color, Lillie didn’t expect to be on the receiving end of such a comment, but the woman was put off by her nationality.

“The fact that I’m American seemed to be all she needed to hear to have disdain,” she said. “I don’t think everyone feels like her, and not everyone at the market was rude, but she was, and she brought up Trump after asking where I was from.”

Given how polarizing Trump is, you could be asked whom you voted for while traveling. In a TikTok video that recently went viral, a woman said she was badgered in a Northern Ireland pub that happened to be playing the nightly news when she and her husband stopped in for a drink. The woman said the “nasty” comments started when she refused to answer the question, “Who did you vote for?” which she deemed a “sensitive topic.”

In response videos, TikTokers criticized the woman for not being comfortable revealing whom she voted for. One X user joked that videos of MAGA tourists facing criticism abroad had become her “favorite genre of TikTok right now.”

To some extent, European attitudes toward Americans today echo the sentiments of the continent around the George W. Bush “freedom fries” era: In 2003, some in Congress pushed to rename french fries to “freedom fries” as a way to protest France’s refusal to support the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. (“Freedom toast” was also suggested for relabeling. It was quite the time.)

Flores-Tavukcuoglu said that French-hating rep stuck around for a while.

“That was before my time living abroad, but when I first moved abroad in 2013, and George W. Bush was more prominent in American culture, when I would mention that I’m from Texas, the French would automatically joke, point two finger pistols in the air ― the most obvious cliché about Texas ― and mention GWB,” she said.

Back then, it was more playful banter about politics, she said. Today, it feels more somber.

“With Trump in the White House, there’s more concern and a sense of shared stakes, particularly around NATO and global security. It feels less like ridicule and more like authentic worry,” she said.

Of course, a certain type of American has always been judged in Europe regardless of who’s in office: The “ugly American” trope ― the idea that Americans are arrogant and lack cultural awareness or sophistication ― has followed American travelers around for decades.

“The fact is, many Americans are quite loud and obnoxious when interacting with foreigners,” said Adriel Sanders, an American attorney who relocated to Paris before the COVID-19 lockdown.

To illustrate her point, Sanders recounted an experience she had last summer with a boorish American man near the Louvre museum.

“I was sitting on a bench having a conversation on the phone with my mom, and this white American man walked over to me, leaned down about 5 inches from my face and started shouting, slowly in English, ‘Where — is — the — Seine?’” she said.

“When I told him to go away because I was busy and pointed in a direction, he opened up his sweaty, red palm to reveal a 2-euro coin that he then shoved toward my face while saying, ‘Do you want this?’” she said. “I see a certain type of American engage in this kind of behavior all the time.”

We all have our national embarrassments. Avoid being that kind of American traveler and you should be fine, said Kelsey Heinrichs, a travel blogger based in London.

“I actually see a lot of anxiety online from Americans worrying about how they’ll be perceived, and I think that concern can be a little self-focused,” she said. “Europeans are dealing with plenty of their own political, economic and social issues, so most people simply aren’t scrutinizing tourists that closely.”

Europe is facing its own challenges with rising right-wing populism ― and European countries have certainly had leaders in their past that they’re not exactly proud of ― and that creates a sense of shared understanding and frustration, Heinrichs said.

“Many Europeans ― especially women and minority communities ― recognize the parallels and feel solidarity with Americans navigating this difficult political climate,” she said.

All this said, there are some best practices you may want to consider when you’re an American traveling abroad these days. Being friendly and polite is always a good idea, and it’s even more important now.

“Since the perception of the United States is linked to aggression and bully-ish behaviors at the moment, anything that seems to be pushy or violate the consent of others is a bad idea,” Lillie said. “I’m talking about things as simple as taking photos or videos or even picking up food without permission.”

“They may not be a big deal in the U.S., but people in Europe can be sensitive to things like having their pictures taken without permission or having someone pick up products in a store,” Lillie said, noting that she learned that the hard way.

“Ask before you assume,” she said, “and remember, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are your best friends, especially if you can learn how to say them in the local language.”

You don’t need to pretend you’re from Canada while you’re in Europe, though ― a popular piece of travel advice among those who worry that Americans have a bad rap abroad.

“I’ve noticed that many Americans introduce themselves by saying their city or state they’re from rather than the country, whereas the rest of the world will always say which country they’re from first,” Heinrichs said. “Honesty is always the way to go, in my opinion.”

That said, if saying, “I’m from the U.S., but I live in Austin” makes you feel more comfortable, go for it. But Americans don’t need to apologize for their nationality or disguise it, Heinrichs said.

“Travel has always been one of the most humanizing experiences we have,” she said. “Most people you meet abroad are far more interested in who you are as a person than in your passport or your politics. Don’t let fear of judgment hold you back from booking that trip. Life is truly too damn short.”