A growing international boycott of U.S. goods is taking shape in response to President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies, diplomatic missteps, and close alliance with embattled Tesla CEO Elon Musk. From Canada to Europe and Australia, consumers and businesses are rejecting American products in protest of Trump’s tariffs, economic policies, and political maneuvering.
Reports from Canada and multiple European countries indicate a rising trend of consumers deliberately avoiding American-made products. Some retailers are actively promoting alternative goods, while smartphone apps are helping consumers identify and boycott U.S. brands. The backlash has extended to Tesla, where plummeting sales in Europe have contributed to an $800 billion loss in market capitalization.
Trump’s escalating trade war with Canada, including a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports, has fueled resentment among Canadian consumers and businesses. His false claims that Canada is a major fentanyl supplier and his suggestion that the U.S. should annex Canada as the “cherished Fifty-First State” have further inflamed tensions.
“A lot of people feel betrayed by our closest ally,” said Ottawa-based marketer Emma Cochran in an interview with NBC News. She and a colleague began selling merchandise with the phrase “Canada is not for sale,” a slogan now embraced by Canadian officials, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
As a result of the tariffs, the Canadian government has implemented $21 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. Meanwhile, consumers are boycotting American products using smartphone apps such as “Maple Scan” and “Is This Canadian?” to avoid U.S.-made items.
Retailers are also joining the boycott. In several Canadian provinces, liquor stores are removing U.S. brands and replacing them with “Buy Canadian Instead” signs. This move has frustrated American producers such as Kentucky-based Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s whiskey.
“That’s worse than a tariff because it’s literally taking your sales away,” said Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting on an earnings call last week.
The backlash against U.S. products has spread across Europe, fueled by Trump’s temporary suspension of aid to Ukraine, his public humiliation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Musk’s interference in European politics.
A Verian/SVT survey in Sweden found that 29% of Swedish consumers have avoided U.S. goods in the past month. Danish grocery giant Salling Group has started marking European-made goods with a black star to help customers distinguish them from U.S. imports.
In Norway, fuel company Haltbakk announced it would no longer supply fuel to U.S. ships docked in Norwegian ports. The company condemned Trump’s foreign policy as “the biggest shit show ever presented ‘live on TV’ by the current American president and his vice president.”
Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Denmark have seen particularly sharp declines in Tesla sales, with reports showing:
• 76 percent drop in Germany
• 55 percent drop in Italy
• 53 percent drop in Portugal
• 48 percent drop in Norway and Denmark
European consumers have rejected Musk not only for his alliance with Trump but also for his support of British far-right extremist Tommy Robinson and the German far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has embraced Nazi slogans.
In Australia, economic experts warn that Trump’s trade war could destabilize global markets.
Nick Talley, a physician-scientist in New South Wales, criticized Trump’s tariffs and their global consequences.
“Trump presumably… thought everyone would just bow down,” Talley told The Guardian.
Australians have also been actively avoiding U.S. goods, with consumers choosing domestic and European alternatives over American products.
Facing Tesla’s financial crisis, Musk staged an impromptu car show on the White House lawn, where Trump scolded Americans for “illegally” boycotting Tesla and announced he would purchase a Tesla to support the company.
Despite the spectacle, analysts say Tesla’s freefalling stock price and declining global sales will be difficult to reverse.
“Tesla has dipped below the amount it was on election day. We must keep going till it is worthless,” civil rights attorney Alejandra Caraballo wrote on Bluesky.
Channel 4 in the U.K. reported that Tesla’s White House marketing stunt would not be enough to offset severe declines in European sales, as boycotts and protests at Tesla dealerships continue.
Tariffs raising costs for American consumers
• Steel and aluminum tariffs have increased manufacturing costs, driving up prices on U.S.-made goods.
• Construction material costs have risen, exacerbating the housing crisis.
Retaliatory tariffs hurting U.S. exporters
• Canada and Europe’s counter-tariffs have reduced demand for U.S. goods abroad.
• Liquor, automotive, and consumer electronics industries are particularly affected.
Market instability and recession fears
• Tesla’s stock collapse has sparked concerns of broader economic instability.
• Economists warn that Trump’s tariff policies could push the U.S. into recession.
White House dismisses economic concerns
• Trump celebrated a minor inflation drop while ignoring warning signs of an economic downturn.
• He falsely claimed that consumer boycotts were “illegal,” despite being a form of free-market choice.
Economists warn of stagflation
• Groundwork Collaborative chief of policy and advocacy Alex Jacquez criticized Trump’s policies:
• “Every economic indicator suggests that President Trump has us barreling toward a recession and stagflation.”
• He warned that Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy and planned Medicaid and SNAP cuts would worsen economic inequality.
Consumer frustration grows
• A Data for Progress poll found that U.S. consumers are most frustrated with:
• Rising grocery prices (21%)
• Higher utility bills (10%)
• Soaring healthcare costs
• Food & Water Watch criticized Trump for failing to tackle corporate price gouging, particularly in the food industry.
“Record-high egg prices have everything to do with corporate greed,” said Food & Water Watch research director Amanda Starbuck.
The long-term consequences
Growing global rejection of U.S. goods
• If the boycotts continue, American companies will struggle to regain consumer trust abroad.
• Foreign businesses may permanently shift supply chains away from U.S. manufacturers.
Economic recession risks
• Rising tariffs will increase inflation, forcing the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates high.
• Job losses in manufacturing, retail, and energy sectors could accelerate.
Political fallout
• Widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s economic policies could hurt his re-election chances.
• Democratic candidates are expected to campaign on Trump’s trade failures, framing his policies as reckless.
The growing international boycott of U.S. goods highlights the consequences of Trump’s trade war and geopolitical missteps. While Trump and Musk scramble to counteract the backlash, global consumers are making their dissatisfaction clear—by rejecting American products at an unprecedented scale.
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