In the past, I’ve written about some Worldcon bids that would host the convention in countries with a bad human rights record. Now some fans are raising the question of whether they should be held in the USA. Certainly Trump is acting like a dictator, issuing decrees without legal authority and going after enemies with the power of his office. Author Jo Walton has suggested that the Los Angeles Worldcon, to be held in 2026, should move to another location. This would be impossibly expensive, given the convention’s contractual commitments, but we can look at the question in the abstract. I don’t know of any serious bids from the US for 2027 and 2028, and after that a less horrible president may be in office, so the question doesn’t directly affect any active bids.

If there were a bid in the US for 2028, what would I say about it? I think the main consideration should be not how bad the government is in general, but how it would affect the convention and the attendees. The Chengdu Worldcon had obvious problems, and it’s lucky no one ran into serious trouble with the government for expressing forbidden views. Kampala would have been a horrible choice, given Uganda’s draconian anti-gay laws. I don’t think — though I might turn out wrong — that Trump will be able to break down civil liberties protections enough to make a US Worldcon dangerous to visitors. He might make it economically painful. It will probably become harder to visit the country. But I don’t think US Worldcons should be ruled out — yet.

I’m trying to determine whether people crossing the US-Canadian border for a convention, such as FilkONtario or the proposed Montreal Worldcon or Canadians going to US conventions, will have to pay a 25% tax on any merchandise they bring into the USA. A CBC article suggests that they will, though we won’t be sure till Trump decrees the final form of his tax. If so, the heaviest burden will fall on conventions in Canada, simply because there are so many Americans who go to these conventions and buy stuff in dealers’ rooms. Is that an argument for not having a Worldcon in Canada? From an economic standpoint, maybe, but it would be sickening to cave in.

There’s no immediate decision to make. The next two Worldcons will be in the USA, for better or worse. Its organizers should concentrate on making foreign visitors as safe as they can manage. The less information they collect on people, the less they can be forced to report. Asking members to report if they’re trans, nonbinary, etc., is a bad idea. Give them an opportunity to designate themselves as they choose, but don’t make it part of the con’s record. Safety comes before gestures.

Things are getting worse quickly. I don’t think things will get so bad in the next couple of years that a US Worldcon will be in danger, but I could be wrong. The organizers will have to be alert and willing to make difficult choices.