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I knew it couldn't last. The viral utopia that was the world coming together over football in the U.S. suburbs was never going to be forever. The grimy hands of politics would eventually come for it. This was the week it happened.

Last Sunday, when my phone buzzed, and I saw the NYT push notification about FIFA’s reversal of the U.S. red card, and President Trump's involvement, here was my emotional journey as I made my way down the story:

"Oh?!" 😀
"Oh…" 🧐
"Oh, no" 😫
"No, no no no" 🤯

The U.S. match with Belgium came and went quickly enough. But in those 36 hours, it was interesting to read the conversation around bringing politics into what — until then — had been a lot of warm-fuzzies about America. What would it do to people's desire to travel here?

Who knows what the answer would have been if the U.S. had won. But my read is that the new hospitality halo of the American people remained intact. And so did the reputation of FIFA and President Trump.

Politicians and FIFA = bad. Global football citizens, local eats and customs = good. Hopefully, those who want to come to the U.S. to enjoy some rodeo and gas station brisket will book their flights and stays.

In related news, by the time the Trump Effect hits your inboxes next week, we should have the U.S. inbound travel figure for June. That’s when the post mortem will begin over whether the U.S. can call the World Cup an economic success.

A branding and PR success, absolutely. How it played out on the ground for businesses now is the story still being written.

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