Countries That Love Americans During All Political Seasons
In 2003, just after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Tennessee native Holly Houston was studying abroad in Paris. It was what you could call the " Freedom fry" era -- many Europeans, and the French in particular, were not fond of U.S. military action and not afraid to show it.
"I went to school in Texas so I especially felt like people thought I supported Bush and the invasion," she says. "I didn't hide I was American, but I found it to be a compliment when people thought I was Australian, British or Swedish."
[READ: In Trump, the World Sees 'The Ugly American']
Global perceptions of America took a beating during the Bush administration and rebounded significantly during the Obama years, according to the Pew Research Center. Now, if polling from Pew is any indication, the pendulum may sway in the other direction.
In nearly half of 15 the nations polled by Pew this spring, the share of the public with confidence in then-Presidential candidate Donald Trump was in single digits. Among Europeans, 85 percent lacked confidence in him.
In other words, some globetrotting Americans could soon be sewing Maple Leaf patches to their backpacks and practicing their Canadian accents.
"When you travel, you are going to find most people do not support Trump," says Rick Steves, host of " Rick Steves' Europe," an American Public Television series. "They think Trump is going to be terrible. Are they going to treat Americans badly? No. Are they going to say, 'How can you do this?' Yes."
Many Americans won't let global perceptions interfere with their 2017 plans to catch a ride on a Florentine gondola or tour the Louvre Museum. But for those who cringe at the prospect of hearing "How can you do this?" there is some good news: A handful of countries loved the U.S. during the Bush administration -- and could very well shower it with affection during the next four years.
Let the flight searches begin:
Côte d'Ivoire
In 2007, near the end of the Bush administration, 88 percent of Ivorians surveyed had a positive view of the U.S. -- the highest of 37 countries surveyed by Pew. Despite two recent civil wars, travel site Lonely Planet says the country shouldn't be missed.
"It would be a shame to sidestep Cote d'Ivoire because of its baggage," the site says. "Cote d'Ivoire is a stunner, shingled with starfish-studded sands, and forest roads so orange they resemble strips of bronzing powder."
Kenya
In Kenya, "Luxury safari camps and ecolodges comfortably cushion the outdoor adventure," Frommer's says. "Roaring lions, snorting wildebeest and trumpeting elephants puncture the silence between Kenya's vast African sky and sun-baked plains."
Added bonus: Your safari guide may not judge you if your uncle is wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat. In 2007, 87 percent of those surveyed were positive about the U.S.
Ghana
If you are detecting a theme here, you're onto something. "African countries tended to have positive views of the U.S., even throughout the Bush era," says Jacob Poushter, senior researcher at Pew. China was also a hit on the continent, he says, because Africans "have more favorable views of countries they see as economically strong."
In 2007, 80 percent of surveyed Ghanaians had a positive view of the U.S. While a trip through Ghana can feel like an adventure through several countries, "the beauty is that this diversity exists so harmoniously, a joy to experience and a wonder to behold in uncertain times," Lonely Planet says.
Mali
"Like an exquisite sandcastle formed in a harsh desert landscape, Mali is blessed by an extraordinary amount of beauty, wonders, talents and knowledge," Lonely Planet writes.
That said, there are better times to visit the country, where 79 percent of people had high opinions of the U.S. in 2007.
Earlier this summer, the U.S. State Department warned U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Mali about ongoing terrorist attacks and criminal violence. In November 2015, one U.S. citizen and 19 other foreigners were killed when militants stormed a hotel in the capital.
Israel
Israel and the U.S. kicked off their close relationship back in 1948, when the U.S. became the first country to recognize Israel as a state. Since then, ties have continued to grow, and in 2007, 78 percent of surveyed Israeli's thought positively about their North American ally.
"Nowhere on earth stirs up passion quite the way Israel does," Lonely Planet says of the Holy Land, home to Jerusalem's famous Temple Mount. "Spending time here never fails to challenge ideas and offer the most unexpected experiences."
Devon Haynie is news editor, international for U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dhaynie@usnews.com.
