More control for tourists. The Trump administration is working on a reform of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) under which those wishing to visit the United States would have to provide their social media accounts from the last five years to enter the country.
“In order to comply with Executive Order 14161 of January 2025 (Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other Threats to National Security and Public Safety), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is adding social media as required data for ESTA applications. ESTA applicants will be required to provide their social media from the last 5 years,” the proposal states. published in the Federal Register by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The proposal is in the open phase for comments, which can be submitted until February 9, 2026 for review.
The requirement would apply to travelers using ESTA, meaning it would affect citizens of 42 countries, including Spain and many other European countries, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel and Qatar, for example.
ESTA is an online application valid for two years that tourists from these countries use to travel to the United States for less than 90 days without the need for a visa.
Currently, visitors using the online system are invited to information such as your passport and date of birth, as well as any criminal records.
This project could constitute an obstacle in view of the FIFA World Cup which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico in 2026 and which usually attracts a large number of football fans.
Tourism in the United States has already declined significantly during Trump’s second term due to White House restrictions, The Guardian reports. California tourism officials expect a 9% drop in foreign visits to the state this year, while Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles saw a 50% drop in foot traffic over the summer. Las Vegas has also been hit hard by declining attendance, made worse by the rise of mobile gaming apps.
According to Canadian statistics released by TG, Canadian residents traveling round-trip to the United States by car decreased by 36.9% in July 2025 compared to the same month in 2024, while commercial air travel from Canada decreased by 25.8% in July compared to the previous year.
The United States also imposes a surcharge of $100 per person per day to visit national parks, such as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, on top of the usual entrance fee.
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