US image takes a blow in many nations — study
The United States is seeing a marked drop in popularity in many countries during the second term of President Donald Trump, according to a study by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center released on Wednesday.
The survey, carried out in 24 countries, showed overall ratings of the US falling in 15 countries since last spring, with Mexico, Sweden, Poland and Canada displaying the biggest increase in negative views.
Respondents were asked about overall views on the US and the state of its democracy as well as about their opinion of Trump, both with regard to his personal traits and his ability to handle major global issues.
Most of the interviews were conducted after the notorious meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28 and before Trump announced tariffs on countries around the world on April 2.
Widespread decline in US image
Mexico and Sweden were the two countries where the opinion of the US suffered most, with drops of 32 percentage points in positive ratings (from 61% to 29%) in the first and 28 percentage points (47% to 19%) in the second in comparison with 2024.
US popularity among adults in Poland and Canada fell by more than 20 percentage points over the year in both countries.
The fall in US popularity in Germany was also marked: from 49% to 33% (16 percentage points).
Opinions about the US in the UK, Greece, Hungary, South Africa, Argentina and India showed little change.
People in three countries — Israel, Nigeria and Turkey — became slightly more likely to give the US good marks.
Israelis are US fans, Swedes are not
Israel was the country with the highest percentage (83%) of people with a positive assessment of the US.
Sweden had the most people who view the US unfavorably (79%).
Despite the increase in popularity in Turkey, the country still has one of the most unfavorable opinions of the US, with just 25% of adults having a positive view of the country.
In Germany, 66% had a negative view of the US.
Generational, ideological divides
Younger people (35 and below) in most countries surveyed had a more positive view of the US than those aged 50 and above.
This was particularly noticeable in Brazil, with 73% of younger adults giving a positive assessment compared with 37% of older adults who have an unfavorable view.
Political ideologies also played a large role in peoples' opinions.
Among the 51% of people in Israel who say they are ideologically rightist, 97% had a favorable view of the US.
Australia also displayed a wide gap between those on the right, of whom 60% viewed the US positively, and those on the left, where the number dwindled to 12%.
In Germany, supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party were far more likely to have positive opinions of the US (63%) than those who do not back the party (25%).
Trump a major factor
The US president received mostly negative ratings in the survey, with more than half of adults in 19 of the countries saying they had little or no confidence in Trump's ability to lead world affairs.
This is despite the fact that majorities in 18 countries viewed him as a "strong leader."
The survey showed that a median of 34% of adults have a lot or some confidence in Trump's ability to give good leadership in world affairs, while 62%) have little or no confidence in him.
His highest ratings came from Nigeria (79% confidence), Israel (69%), Kenya (64%), Hungary (53%) and India (52%).
Adults in Mexico had the least confidence (8%), followed by Sweden (15%), Turkey (16%), Germany (18%) and Spain (19%).
Low marks for Trump on climate change
In 17 countries, men have more confidence in Trump than women, with this difference most marked in Sweden, Poland, and the UK. In Germany, the gender gap was 11 percentage points.
Those on the right of the political spectrum also see him more positively.
In all, 13 nations gave lower ratings for Trump than they did for his predecessor, Joe Biden, in 2024, but they are higher in six countries.
Just 33% thought he could resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and 29% the "conflicts between Israel and its neighbors."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Hegseth Dodges Question About 'Political Allegiance to Trump.' Congressman Tells Him to 'Get the Hell Out'
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dodged a pointed question regarding "political allegiance to Trump," prompting Congressman Salud Carbajal to call for his resignation. "Do you think political allegiance to Trump is a requirement for serving our nation, either in uniform or a civilian in the department?" the Democratic lawmaker asked during Thursday's House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Pentagon's FY2026 nearly $1 trillion budget request. "I'm incredibly proud as are millions of Americans," Hegseth began before being cut off by Carbajal, as seen in a clip circulating on X. "Not today, Hegseth. Yes or no?" Carbajal pressed. "Congressman, you know what a silly question that is," Hegseth responded. "But silly enough to warrant a straightforward answer. Yes or no?" Carjabal retorted. Reuters "We all support and defend the constitution of the United States," the Defense Secretary stated before he was cut off again. "You know what, I'm not going to waste my time anymore," Carbajal stated. "You're not worthy of my attention or my questions. You're an embarrassment to this country. You're unfit to lead. And there's been bipartisan members of Congress that have called for your resignation." "You should just get the hell out and let somebody competently lead this department," the Congressman added before yielding the rest of his time. Committee Chairman Mike Rogers then urged members to maintain decorum in the chamber. Earlier in the exchange, Carbajal shared that he had "serious concern" over the Trump administration's deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles amid the ongoing anti-ICE protests. The lawmaker labeled the controversial move "political theater," according to Axios. Originally published on Latin Times
Int'l Business Times
2 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Trump Claims 'Thousands' of Millionaires Are Lining Up to Buy 'Trump Card' for Citizenship
President Donald Trump promoted his new immigration initiative on Truth Social Tuesday, claiming that "thousands" of wealthy individuals are eager to buy the golden "Trump Card" — a $5 million fast-track to U.S. citizenship. "FOR FIVE MILLION $DOLLARS, THE TRUMP CARD IS COMING!" the post announced. "Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World. It's called THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!" The post linked to a federal website that now features a waiting list for the program. The card allows foreign nationals to obtain U.S. citizenship through a $5 million payment — a dramatic departure from traditional immigration pathways. The gold card, or "Trump card" is a significant expansion of "golden visa" policies that grant residency to wealthy individuals who make significant investments. The investment threshold varies by state but began around $900,000 in the U.S. The gold card will replace that pathway to citizenship. Trump has previously touted that selling 10 million gold cards could eliminate the nation's $35 trillion deficit. However, 10 million is an unlikely sales goal. Of the world's 58 million millionaires, over 24 million of them already call the U.S. home. Between 2000 and 2024, the previous golden visa program issued an average of just 5,555 per year. Immigrant advocates have criticized the Trump Card for prioritizing the ultra-rich over refugees, asylum seekers, and family-based applicants. "In Trump's vision, citizenship is no longer about building a shared national project; it is an asset reserved for those who can afford it," writer Rotimi Adeoye said in an MSNBC op-ed. The White House has not yet provided specifics on when or how the program will launch, or whether it will require congressional approval. However, the president's post suggested strong demand already exists. Originally published on Latin Times
Int'l Business Times
2 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
More Democratic Governors Dare Trump's Border Czar to Arrest Them Over Resistance to ICE's Efforts: 'Go For It'
Democratic governors pushed back against the Trump administration 's hardline immigration tactics during a tense congressional hearing, with two daring border czar Tom Homan to try arresting them for resisting federal enforcement. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker were among the state leaders who forcefully criticized federal overreach during Thursday's hearing, Axios reported. Hochul responded to Homan's threat by saying, "If Tom Homan comes to Albany to arrest me, I'll say go for it." Pritzker echoed the sentiment, stating he would "stand in the way of Tom Homan going after people who don't deserve to be frightened in their communities." Both governors condemned the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles as a dangerous encroachment on local authority. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also weighed in, warning that threats of arrest against elected officials undermine democracy. The clash follows growing tensions between Democratic-led states and the Trump administration over its mass deportation agenda and aggressive use of federal agents. Tom Homan has previously floated the idea of arresting officials who obstruct immigration enforcement or shield undocumented residents. Calls for such arrests escalated after Trump recently suggested California Gov. Gavin Newsom be detained amid protests in Los Angeles. While Republicans used the hearing to blame sanctuary policies for violent crime, the governors defended their records, pointing to declining crime rates and emphasizing their cooperation with ICE in criminal matters. Originally published on Latin Times
