World Cup chaos avoided by Trump moves he didn’t make, ‘equally as important’ as actions taken: travel exec
The 2026 World Cup avoided potential travel chaos not only because of what President Donald Trump’s administration did to speed up visas, tighten security and move foreign fans through airports,...
By Fox News · Fox News
The 2026 World Cup avoided potential travel chaos not only because of what President Donald Trump’s administration did to speed up visas, tighten security and move foreign fans through airports, but also because of what it chose not to do, according to the head of the U.S. Travel Association, which represents over 1,000 organizations across the industry. In a letter to Trump obtained by Fox News Digital, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman credited the administration with holding off on several travel-related policies that had been on the table in the run-up to the World Cup, arguing those decisions helped make the tournament a "resounding success." "In addition to faster visa appointments, the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) did not strain under record volume—processing more than 5 million applications and approvals while maintaining the highest levels of security," Freeman wrote. "Equally as important were several actions your administration did not take prior to and during the World Cup." GERMAN WORLD CUP FAN BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS AFTER BEING BLOWN AWAY BY KINDNESS OF AMERICANS The U.S. Travel Association is one of the travel industry’s most influential Washington voices, describing itself as the national nonprofit representing "all components" of the U.S. travel industry and the "leading voice" for an industry it says is worth about $2.9 trillion. The group says it represents more than 1,000 organizations across the travel sector and advocates on issues including visa policy, airport operations, travel security and international inbound tourism, giving Freeman’s letter added weight as the U.S. prepares to host the Summer and Winter Olympics, as well as the Women's World Cup. The letter, paired with data from U.S. Travel and Morning Consult, casts the tournament as a tourism and public-diplomacy win that reached beyond stadiums and the cities that hosted the games. Freeman wrote that more tha…