In Paris’s Tuileries gardens, American tourists Rick and Barbara Wilson are taking unusual precautions. Rick, 74, covered the American flag on his baseball cap with black tape before venturing out on their first trip to France.
“We’re sick about it. It’s horrible,” said Rick, describing their embarrassment following President Trump’s recent tariff decisions. Barbara, 70, even carried a Canadian lapel pin as potential cover.
Nearby, New York attorney Chris Epps deliberately left his Yankees hat at the hotel. “People might treat us differently,” he explained.
While there’s no indication Americans are unwelcome in France, Trump’s trade policies have intensified perceptions of a widening transatlantic rift. Early evidence suggests changing travel patterns and attitudes.
Philippe Gloaguen, founder of France’s prestigious Le Guide du Routard travel guides, reported a 25% drop in orders for US guidebooks this year. “I’m very proud of my customers. They are young, well-educated, and very democratic,” he said, comparing American perceptions to those of Russia and China. “They don’t want to spend their money in the United States.”
Oxford Economics predicts an 8.9% decrease in French travelers to America this year. A recent survey found 78% of French expatriates in the US “particularly pessimistic” about their future there, while 73% of people in France no longer consider America an “ally.”
Nicolas Conquer, who leads Republicans Abroad Paris, dismissed concerns as a “media narrative” while acknowledging “some volatility.” He defended Trump’s approach: “Everyone knows that we need strong sovereignty, strong patriotism… we would expect European governments would also promote UK first, Germany first, France first.”
French institutions have begun offering positions to American researchers who lost jobs due to funding cuts. One Paris academic institute warned students traveling to the US about border security checking digital devices and questioning political beliefs.
Franco-American relations have weathered previous crises, from Iraq War tensions to disputes over the Statue of Liberty. Former French President Franรงois Hollande recently stated: “The American people remain our friend, but [Trump] is no longer our ally.”
Kerry Halferty-Hardy, President of the American Club of Paris, characterized the relationship as one of “‘love’ and not always ‘like,'” referencing Serge Gainsbourg’s famous song. She maintained that shared values “are not easily dislodged” but acknowledged that “no one can ignore what they’re seeing in the headlines.”
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