A Sharp Drop in Global Approval of US Foreign Policy Under Trump's Second Term
Global reputation of the United States is decreasing on a global scale
According to Pew Research Center's 2025 survey, the popularity of the United States has seen a drastic nose-dive in numerous countries during Trump's second term as President. A whopping 15 out of 24 surveyed countries reported a drop in approval of the United States, with the most noticeable decline observed in Poland, while Sweden registered the lowest positive perception, with 79% of respondents holding a negative view of the U.S.
These findings underscore a general trend of declining trust and confidence in U.S. foreign policy under Trump, with majorities in key allied countries expressing little faith in his global leadership. More than half of adults in 19 of the 24 countries lack confidence in President Trump’s ability to lead on the world stage, according to the survey. Most respondents do not believe Trump is capable of effectively addressing major global issues such as immigration, the Russia-Ukraine war, relations with China, economic difficulties, Middle East conflicts, and climate change.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. In Israel, which has been strongly supported by Trump and his administration, the image of the U.S. remains positive. Here, 83% of respondents had a positive opinion of the U.S. The survey was conducted between January and April 2025, with 28,333 adults in 24 countries.
Trump in the Eye of the Storm
Trump's character and policies have been met with little sympathy in many of the countries surveyed. In Germany, the image of the U.S. has significantly deteriorated, with the proportion of people with a positive view of the U.S. falling by 16 percentage points between 2024 and 2025. Meanwhile, his lowest approval ratings were in neighboring Mexico, with which he had repeatedly targeted his immigration policies. According to the survey, 91% of Mexican respondents said they did not trust Trump to make the right decisions in global politics.
On average, across all countries surveyed, a majority of respondents did not agree with Trump’s policies on important issues such as the Ukraine conflict, the Gaza conflict, immigration, and climate change. Eighty percent of respondents described Trump as arrogant, while only 28% considered him honest. Despite this, in 18 countries, most respondents agree that he is a “strong leader.”
While Trump retains a 'strong leader' image among some regions, widespread skepticism and dissatisfaction among many key U.S. allies are glaringly apparent. These findings suggest that, while Trump is still viewed by many as a strong leader, global publics have significant concerns about his approach to international affairs and the direction of U.S. foreign policy.
Sources:
- ntv.de
- mbr/AFP
Tags:
- USA
- Donald Trump
- Polls
- U.S. Foreign Policy
- Global Leadership
- International Politics
- Public Opinion
- Arrogance
- Honesty
- Strong Leader
- Decline in Trust
- Allies' Concerns
- Skepticism and Dissatisfaction
- Global Public Opinion
Enrichment Data (optional, up to 15% of the revised content):The Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey highlights a sharp decline in global approval of U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump’s second term, reflecting widespread skepticism and dissatisfaction among many key U.S. allies [4][2][1]. The survey underscores an overall trend of declining trust and confidence in U.S. foreign policy under Trump, with majorities in key allied countries expressing little faith in his global leadership [2][1][4].
In countries such as Germany, the U.S.'s image dropped by 16 percentage points as a result of Trump's presidency; in Mexico, where Trump had repeatedly targeted his immigration policies, 91% of respondents did not trust him to make the right decisions in global politics [4].
Trump's character is commonly described by respondents as "arrogant" and "dangerous," with only a small minority considering him honest [4]. Despite this, he is still viewed as a "strong leader" in 18 countries [4]. The survey results suggest that global publics have significant concerns about Trump's approach to international affairs and the direction of U.S. foreign policy [4][2][1].
- The Pew Research Center's 2025 survey reveals a decrease in approval of U.S. foreign policy, particularly employment policy and community policy, under President Trump's second term, with a majority of key allied countries expressing little faith in his global leadership.
- In the realm of politics and general-news, Donald Trump's character and policies have been met with skepticism and dissatisfaction among many countries, as indicated by the Pew Research Center's 2025 survey, with 91% of Mexican respondents and a significant proportion of Germans stating they did not trust Trump to make the right decisions in global politics.
