To think visiting the US is justifiable in these circumstances?

Go, but definitely sort out your social media first.

Oh for fucks sake. I’ve got no time for shit like that. Go where you want. If anyone I knew had a problem with it I’d laugh at them.

I couldn’t give a shit about what’s going on in other countries, I’ve got enough problems in my own life.

Yes, and I think that most people on here think it's entirely justifiable for you to visit in your PIL's circumstances. However, your post has also given people (another) opportunity to vent their grief and frustration with what is being done to the USA and its citizens. It's very sad indeed.

You are visiting an elderly relative of course you should go and see him . Just make sure you wipe any "anti" references from social media before you apply for your visa

Family situation not a holiday, so I’d say go. However, if I found out FIL was one who voted Trump I’d think again.

I think your reasoning is sound and your friends should respect that, family comes before politics.

However from a safety point of view and if you’re as anti-Trump as you say, I wouldn’t be setting foot over there. An ESTA means nothing now, they have the ‘right’ to search your phone and are counting any anti-Trump rhetoric as terrorism and using that to, at best, deny entry and turn you around, at worst, detain you. For me unfortunately family does not come before personal safety. I’m sure there are precautions you can take and urge you to look into what they might be, and of course this madness might have passed by the time you go and they realise the effect it’s having on tourism.

I would really like to know how many of these people (not people on this thread but just general) boycotting visiting the States were actually, realistically going to go in the next four years anyway! It’s very easy to say you’re not going to go somewhere if you actually had no intention to! I know that’s not everyone but I’m sure it’s a significant percentage.

Your friends are brain-dead. Same as the leftie woke brigade.

I have every intention of visiting my American family this year despite my enormous misgivings about the current administration. I understand if others feel differently.

Firstly, family is more important than politics.

Secondly, have none of your friends ever visited China, or Russia, or Dubai, or any of the countless other countries with appalling abuses of human rights? Have they consistently avoided buying anything made in those countries?

Buying Chinese-made products and judging a friend for visiting the USA would be outrageously hypocritical.

But even if they've been perfect in where they've visited and bought products from, visiting a parent should rightly be a very high priority.

You don't need to justify your decisions to anyone.

The reality is that many people, like your friends, will espouse how they’re making sacrifices like choosing not to go to Disneyworld on holiday next year, not eating at McDonalds, not buying from Amazon, changing their iPhone for a non-US brand when they upgrade in two years’ time. Because all that shit is really easy to do and easy to crow about on your socials.

Nobody is actually, if they found themselves in the situation, going to do the stuff which has an impact on their own lives like refuse to visit a dying parent on principle because they live in the US; or resign from their job on principle because they work for a US company with a pro-Republican CEO; or turn down a huge money promotion because it will require US business travel. Your friends just aren’t in the position you and DH are right now so don’t have to put their principles where their mouths are.

Yeah I wouldn’t be that confident or sure. I know many who have had a tough time at the border and please remember to do your estas in plenty of time!

I think both sides of the argument are fair. A boycott is pointless if you allow exceptions, yet the circumstances are such that it's reasonable to decide your boycott is ended. The important thing is you realise it's a binary either/or thing, you can't go back to boycotting after folding on it.

But that's fine, that's your choice. It just means you put your family above your ideals and above millions of people you don't know and will never know. That's human nature, there's nothing unusual about it.

I don't think Trump's going to personally seize you at the airport, if that's what you're worried about.

I also think that if I decided not to visit any country the policies of whose government I disagreed with, I wouldn't have gone on some of the best trips I've had over the past decade.

China. South Africa. Poland (love that place). Romania. Hungary. Slovakia. US. Albania. The list goes on....

No it’s not that black and white. You do what you can to boycott and buy (in my case Canadian) other countries products.

I think that's a bit unfair. Yes, there are plenty of people who say one thing and do another, but in reality many people are concerned about what is happening at the moment and are trying to find a way to respond. You are right in as much as nobody will know or care if you stop using US-based digital services, but if in-person goods and services to the US begin to suffer due to boycotts - as is happening with Canada/US trade - then a clear message is being sent.

With your circumstances I would go. It’s not a holiday, it’s a family visit.

Some of us were having a discussion the other evening about boycotting US products

Hope none of these friends are using Apple, Meta, Google, X, Amazon etc then! Guarantee they’re also being hypocrites 😆 enjoy your time with FIL.

Obviously go, if only because it's a family issue.

For anything else, no - whilst I'm sure some folks will think I'm virtue signalling 😂I do think that if you do have a choice you should take your money elsewhere at the moment. I feel sad in saying this as many US citizens are disgusted with what's happening too, but the fact remains that the USA can no longer be trusted.

Of course you should go! I won’t be travelling for leisure there for a while but I’ll definitely still be going for work trips (and won’t think twice about it) - just make sure you’re following the news in case things somehow get worse/more dangerous for travellers.