Donald Trump Rejects Fears That Social Media Rule for Visitors Would Hurt U.S. Tourism
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, there are millions of travelers who enter the United States each month. As a result, tourism has long been one of the factors that helps make America's economy the behemoth that it is. That is also why there are people around the world who regularly pay attention to the laws that dictate the rules that travelers into the United States must follow to stay on the right side of the law.
In December 2025, it wasn't just people who keep a close eye on America's laws for tourists who learned that the rules could change soon. Instead, a new policy proposal that would affect a significant number of the travelers who enter the country garnered headlines around the world. Despite some of the reactions sounding the alarm about the proposed policy, Donald Trump has weighed in to argue that it wouldn't hinder America's tourism industry.
Donald Trump Dismissed Concerns About America’s Social Media and Tourism Policy Proposal
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
On December 10, 2025, the BBC published an article covering a new United States policy proposal that could affect tourists. The proposed policy, which may or may not be enacted, was suggested by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP). The new rule would create a mandatory requitement that all "ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last 5 years." An ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) application is the paperwork that travelers from a Visa Waiver Program country must get approved to gain permission to enter America for 90 days or less as a tourist without a traditional visa.
In response to the news that the policy proposal exists, there has been concerns that it could endanger American tourism. One example of that is a Politico Europe article that argued the policy could negatively impact tourism tied to the upcoming World Cup. Despite worries like that, Donald Trump stated that he isn't concerned about the possibility that the policy could inspire tourists to avoid America.
As a December 10, 2025 X video shows, Trump was taking questions from the press when he was asked, "Are you concerned at all that if that's implemented, there would be a decline in tourism next year?" In response to that question, Trump dismissed those concerns. "No, we're doing so well. We just want people to come over here and stay. We want safety. We want security. We want to make sure we're not letting the wrong people come into our country. We're getting rid of a lot of bad ones from jails, from mental institutions, drug dealers."
Q: Are you concerned that if the proposal to review 5 years of social media to get a tourist visa is implemented that there will be a decline in tourism?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 10, 2025
TRUMP: No. We're doing so well. We want to make sure we're not letting the wrong people into our country. pic.twitter.com/Bh52ZRlHmM
Despite those remarks, it is worth noting that tourism into America was already falling before news of this possible policy proposal surfaced. Over the last several months, there have been a series of eye-catching headlines about how tourism into America has slowed down significantly during Donald Trump's second term as President. In September 2025, The Economic Times published an article stating that the United States had missed out on $12.5 billion in international tourism dollars, as the number of travelers entering the country was down 8.5%
Who Will Be Affected if the US Tourism Social Media Policy Proposal Is Enacted?
According to the ESTA application portal website, tourists from the below listed countries must get their application for the Visa Waiver Program approved to travel to the United States without a traditional visa. That means that anyone from these countries who wants to travel to America without a traditional visa will be affected by the proposed policy if it is enacted:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brunei
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom