What the World Cup Revealed About America

I've been watching a flood of videos from foreign visitors traveling across America for the World Cup, and I have to admit something: it fills me with pride.
For years, people around the world have been told that America is dangerous, backward, rude, divided, ignorant, and in decline. They've been fed a steady diet of headlines designed to shock, outrage, and divide. They've been shown the worst moments from a nation of more than 330 million people and told that's who we are.

Then they get here.

And reality hits them like a freight train.

They're stunned by how friendly Americans are. They're amazed at how welcoming complete strangers can be. They're blown away by the sheer scale of everything. They walk into a Buc-ee's and stare in disbelief. They visit a Costco and swear it's larger than the villages they came from. They drive for hours through mountains, deserts, forests, prairies, valleys, beaches, and rolling farmland and discover that the beauty they've been told doesn't exist is not only real, it's breathtaking.
One British visitor tried authentic Texas brisket and looked like he was having a religious experience. A French traveler walked through Costco and said it was the size of his hometown. A group of Scots descended on Boston and partied like they were preparing to launch a revolution. Yet every morning, when crews came to clean up after them, they found almost no trash. In some parks, bags of garbage had been neatly gathered into piles. They showed respect for the places they visited, and Americans welcomed them in return.

It's been one of the most heartwarming exchanges I've ever seen. I have a great deal of pride in my country and in the people who call it home, no matter what state they're from, even Nebraska.

Many of these visitors arrived carrying fears and assumptions they had heard their entire lives. Some openly admitted they were warned there was a fifty percent chance they'd end up in a gunfight. They expected some kind of Wild West cartoon where everyone was Yosemite Sam, pistols blazing at every disagreement.
Instead, many went shooting for the first time and discovered something entirely different. They found responsible gun owners who treat firearms with seriousness, discipline, respect, and reverence. They found a culture they had been taught to fear but never actually understood. They found Americans eager to teach, eager to share, and eager to welcome.

Again and again, these visitors have discovered that the caricature of America they've been sold bears little resemblance to the real thing. They've discovered that Americans will stop to help a stranger on the side of the road. They've discovered that neighbors still look after neighbors. They've discovered that people will strike up conversations with complete strangers in restaurants, gas stations, sporting events, and grocery stores. They've discovered that countless Americans would gladly give someone the shirt off their back if they needed it.
The truth is simple. The overwhelming majority of Americans are decent people. We love our families. We love our communities. We work hard. We help each other. We celebrate success. We mourn tragedy. We welcome visitors. And we're proud of our country.

That's something the media rarely shows. Bad news sells. Conflict sells. Division sells. A camera pointed at one idiot generates more ratings than a camera pointed at a thousand good people quietly living honorable lives. The worst of us make headlines. The best of us build the nation.

For years I've wondered how you combat that false image without infringing on anyone's freedoms. How do you show the world what America really is? The answer turns out to be remarkably simple: invite people here.

Let them see it for themselves.
Let them eat the barbecue.
Let them meet the people.
Let them eat the barbecue.
Let them drive the highways.
Let them eat the barbecue.
Let them watch the sunsets.
And don't forget, let them eat the barbecue.

Let them walk through the giant stores they thought only existed in movies. Let them experience the hospitality of small towns and big cities alike. Let them discover for themselves that the reality of America is far different from the version many have been sold.

Many visitors have spoken about being moved by the patriotism they witnessed here. They watched tens of thousands of Americans stand for the National Anthem, remove their hats, place their hands over their hearts, and honor the flag. Not because anyone forced them to, but because they genuinely love their country. In an age when so many people seem embarrassed by their own heritage, many foreign visitors were surprised to find Americans who still openly love theirs.
The political class has spent years embarrassing itself on the world stage. Politicians come and go. Administrations rise and fall. News cycles change by the hour. But America was never defined by politicians. America is defined by its people: the truck driver, the rancher, the teacher, the waitress, the farmer, the firefighter, the biker, the mechanic, the police officer, the nurse, the veteran, the small business owner, and the families raising children and building communities in every corner of this great nation.

They are the reason America has always been great.

And now, thanks to millions of visitors experiencing this country firsthand, the truth is spreading farther than any media narrative ever could. These travelers will go home. They'll show their videos. They'll tell their stories. They'll share their experiences with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. They'll tell people that America is beautiful. They'll tell them Americans are kind, generous, welcoming, and proud. They'll tell them that the headlines left out most of the story.
Maybe those stories will inspire more people to come see it for themselves. Maybe they'll help tear down decades of misconceptions. Maybe they'll remind the world that there is still something special happening on this side of the Atlantic. And who knows it may inspire revolutions! A few years from now we may find Costco warehouses popping up across Europe, Buc-ee's spreading like wildfire, and brave souls attempting Texas brisket in every corner of the United Kingdom.

Speaking of the United Kingdom, there is a very real possibility that England and the United States could meet on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of American independence, in Philadelphia of all places. If that happens, the symbolism will be almost too perfect. The city where America declared its independence. The nation's 250th birthday. England on one side. America on the other. We fully intend to send them packing just like we did the last time around, but regardless of the outcome, what an absolutely unforgettable match that would be.

America isn't what the world has been told.
America is what these visitors found.
And that's a story worth telling.