Trump's embarrassments on the global stage are costing the United States

Some of the newest data points include numbers on the precipitous drop in international tourism under Trump, which has declined sharply in the last year.

“The new data comes amid increasing concern from the U.S. travel industry that the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten border and aviation security could discourage legitimate visitors from coming to the U.S.,” The Hill reports.

The travel industry has been upfront since the beginning of the year that it was nervous about a possible “Trump slump,” and that his xenophobic rhetoric, along with his radical agenda that often targets foreigners, would turn off would-be visitors. Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban represented the most high-profile and controversial initiative that signaled to foreigners from all over the world that they might no longer be welcomed here.

That’s exactly what’s happening. And it’s costing the U.S. economy billions in lost revenues — nearly $3 billion to date, according to a recent estimate.

The tourism industry is absolutely central to a strong U.S. economy, since its reach is so vast and it generates so much spending.

“Travel is the country’s No. 2 export and supports more than 15 million American jobs, according to the U.S. Travel Association,” the Hill reports.

Why the sharp drop under Trump? People around the world simply do not trust and admire the United States the way they used to.

Once considered the most respected nation in the world and touting as the best country “brand,” the U.S. recently tumbled all the way from No. 1 to No. 6 in the last year, according to the market research firm Gfk, which conducts the annual global survey. Germany now boasts the title as the world’s most respected nation.

And that survey isn’t alone. In the 2017 U.S. News Best Countries Rankings, the U.S. fell from the No. 4 Best Country to No. 7.

This week, we saw a perfect example of how Trump is tarnishing America’s reputation in the world’s eyes, when he made the reckless decision to amplify vitriolic, anti-Muslim content peddled by a racist, far-right group called Britain First.

Trump’s juvenile move quickly sparked an international incident, and the condemnations from America’s oldest ally are still pouring in.

Appearing on CNN on Thursday, Stephen Doughty, a Labour Party member of Parliament, lamented Trump’s “extraordinary” behavior and stressed how sad it is for British citizens to watch.

“You know, I love American. I love Americans,” he said. “My grandfather was an American GI who came over to fight fascism in the Second World War. And I’ve traveled across 25 of your fantastic states. And President Trump simply doesn’t represent the kind, generous, caring Americans that I know.”

He’s not alone.