German classical violinist Christian Tetzlaff and his quartet have canceled their summer tour of the US due to their opposition to the policies of Donald Trump and the US response to the nation’s democratic crisis. Tetzlaff expressed feelings of anger and disgust, stating that he cannot perform while feeling this way.

Tetzlaff is not alone in his stance, as there is a growing international movement to boycott the US. This movement has spread from Scandinavia to Canada and beyond, with consumers turning against US goods. Notably, European car buyers have rejected Teslas produced by Elon Musk, who is now a prominent figure in Trump’s administration. Tesla’s share price has declined significantly as a result of these boycotts.

The boycott movement is not limited to countries directly affected by Trump’s trade policies. In Sweden, a Facebook group has emerged calling for a boycott of US companies, including Facebook itself. In Denmark, a grocery company plans to tag European-made goods with a black star to allow consumers to choose them over US products.

Norway’s largest oil bunkering operation, Haltbakk, has also boycotted supplying fuel to US navy ships. This decision was influenced by a recent meeting between Trump and the Ukrainian president, where Trump’s behavior made the company feel sick.

While boycotts have been used in the past to target apartheid South Africa and the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, what is surprising is how quickly the second Trump administration has become a target for consumer anger and ethically minded companies. Trump has commented on the issue, blaming the boycotts on the “Radical Left Lunatics.”

Experts argue that the backlash against the US is a consequence of actions such as voting with Russia against Ukraine at the UN and Trump’s verbal attacks on the Ukrainian president. The US is no longer seen as a leader of the free world and is facing scrutiny from consumers and businesses.

Zoe Gardner, an organizer of the Stop Trump Coalition in the UK, believes the backlash is organic and driven by people’s anger. She sees a decline in Tesla sales in Europe as a result of Elon Musk’s association with the Trump administration and its problematic policies.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/12/i-feel-utter-anger-from-canada-to-europe-a-movement-to-boycott-us-goods-is-spreading