Full Breakdown
Global Pew Survey Shows Sharp Decline in Confidence in President Trump and U.S. Reliability
6/28/2026, 12:37:09 AM
Core Findings of the International Poll
A Pew Research Center survey of 42,000 adults in 36 countries (Feb 8 – May 13) found that 76 percent expressed no confidence in President Donald Trump’s handling of world affairs, while only 23 percent said they trusted his leadership. Confidence in the United States itself was also low: 57 percent held an unfavorable view of the country versus 37 percent favorable. No nation surveyed showed an improvement in attitudes toward Trump.
Context: Trump’s Foreign-Policy Agenda
The poll linked the negative ratings to a series of high-profile actions in Trump’s second term: aggressive tariffs, the Gaza conflict, confrontations with Iran, the threatened seizure of Greenland, the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and a scaled-down U.S. role in the Russia-Ukraine war. The administration also reduced overseas aid and withdrew from several United Nations commitments, prompting criticism that its “America First” stance eroded traditional alliances.
Quantitative Highlights
- Lowest confidence: Turkey (92 % no confidence), Sweden (89 %), Mexico (88 %).
- Highest confidence: Philippines (68 % confident), Israel (66 %), Nigeria (65 %).
- Reliability of the U.S.: In the United Kingdom, the share viewing the U.S. as a reliable partner fell from 82 % in 2022 to 49 % now; in Canada, from 83 % to 35 %.
- Policy disapproval: Gaza (76 % disapprove), tariffs (77 %), Russia-Ukraine war (72 %), Greenland (68 %), Maduro capture (63 %).
- Regional outliers: Seven countries—Hungary, the Philippines, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Colombia, and one unspecified—recorded a majority positive view of the United States.
Why the Shift Matters
Diminished confidence in Trump and reduced perceptions of U.S. reliability threaten diplomatic leverage, NATO cohesion, and the ability to mobilize multilateral support for initiatives such as aid to Ukraine. The poll suggests that negative sentiment is spreading even among right-wing and populist constituencies that previously offered relative support.
Official Statements & Responses
The White House framed the actions as “restoring the standing of the United States on the global stage, and making sure Americans aren’t ‘taken advantage of.’” Pew researchers noted that “overall ratings for the United States are also largely negative” and that “Trump receives low ratings for how he has handled key foreign-policy issues.” President Trump, speaking to supporters in March, claimed that “under our leadership America is highly respected again…perhaps now we are respected like never, ever before.”
Criticism & Opposition
Analysts highlighted that the poll’s findings mirror broader concerns that confrontational tariffs and unilateral moves have “knocked back” U.S. soft power. Critics argue that the decline in trust undermines collective security arrangements and hampers U.S. influence in regions such as the Middle East and Europe.
On-the-Ground Perspectives
In Turkey, only 6 % expressed trust in Trump, and just 13 % held a favorable view of the United States. Palestinian respondents in the West Bank and Jerusalem gave Trump a 4 % trust rating and a 9 % favorable view of the U.S. The survey coincided with the FIFA World Cup in the United States; researchers noted that personal contact with the U.S. can improve perceptions, suggesting the event could modestly offset negative trends.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Source 1 reports a 76 % no-confidence figure, while Source 3 describes “approximately two-thirds” of respondents distrusting Trump, indicating a minor discrepancy. The poll did not include respondents from Russia or China, and it could not survey Palestinians in Gaza, leaving gaps in the global picture.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Trump gets mostly poor marks for his handling of key foreign policy issues, including tariffs, Gaza, Iran, Greenland and the Russia-Ukraine war,” — Pew Research Center report
- “Overall ratings for the United States are also largely negative. Favourable views of the country have declined in many places over the past year,” — Pew researchers
- “The share of the public who considers the US a reliable partner has declined steeply in many countries since we last asked this question in 2022, during Joe Biden’s presidency.” — Pew Research Center
- “Perhaps now we are now respected like never, ever before. I don’t think we have ever been as respected now.” — Donald Trump, speech March 2024
- “People quite often distinguish between how they feel about a country's culture and how they feel about its politics and so on,” — Richard Wike, Pew
What’s Next
The poll’s release precedes the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where foreign-policy credibility will be a pivotal issue. Pew plans a follow-up survey in 2025 to track whether diplomatic outreach, including the World Cup’s legacy, can reverse the steep decline in global confidence.
