A sweeping international survey reveals a stark erosion of American credibility abroad, with three quarters of respondents across dozens of countries expressing no confidence in President Trump's leadership. The findings underscore how dramatically the U.S. global standing has shifted since his return to office.
Pew Research Center polling of over 40,000 adults across 36 nations paints a portrait of a superpower increasingly seen as self-serving and unreliable. Just 23 percent of respondents trust Trump's direction, while 57 percent view the United States unfavorably compared to 37 percent who hold a positive view.
The numbers on partnership are particularly striking. Half of respondents now describe America as an unreliable partner, up sharply from 2022 when the same question was last asked under President Biden. Among traditional allies, the shift has been dramatic: Canadian confidence in U.S. reliability plummeted from 83 percent to 35 percent. In Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany, trust fell by more than 40 percentage points. Even Japan, long a stalwart partner, saw reliability ratings slip from 76 percent to 59 percent.
Western European skepticism runs deep. Majorities in France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom all saw U.S. reliability ratings drop by 30 or more points compared to four years ago. Only two thirds of respondents believe Washington actually considers other countries' interests, down sharply from those expressing confidence in American consideration of global concerns.
Trump's foreign policy moves have fueled the perception shift. His aggressive stance toward the United Nations, which he has called ineffective, included withdrawing from various commitments and slashing funding. His convening of two dozen countries for a new Board of Peace in February struck some observers as an end run around the U.N. itself.
NATO has emerged as another flashpoint. Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in Washington this week to shore up the alliance as Trump has threatened withdrawal, a move requiring congressional approval. The partnership remains under strain as the president signals skepticism about the cost and value of American military commitment in Europe.
The survey found no majority support for Trump's handling of any major international challenge, from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to immigration policy, tariffs and humanitarian aid. His current European approval ratings lag only slightly behind his first term numbers and roughly match former President George W. Bush's standing at the close of his presidency.
There is one notable exception to the trend. Hungary, governed by Trump ally Viktor Orbán until April, showed increased confidence in American reliability under Trump, rising from 59 percent in 2022 to 65 percent today. The outlier underscores how Trump's approach to foreign relations divides the world along ideological lines.
The White House declined to comment on the findings. The survey was conducted between February and mid May of this year with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
Author James Rodriguez: "These numbers reveal the cost of America First as Trump critics warned, and the allies most essential to U.S. interests are voting with their feet."
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