A new Pew Research Center survey finds largely negative international views of the United States and President Donald Trump’s leadership on world affairs, with fewer people in many countries describing the U.S. as a reliable partner.
The survey of 42,151 adults in 36 countries was conducted from Feb. 8 to May 13. Across those countries, a median of 23% of adults said they have confidence in Trump to do the right thing regarding world affairs.
The report found that overall views of the U.S. are also negative in many parts of the world. Across the 36 countries surveyed, a median of 37% of adults expressed a favorable view of the U.S., while 57% held an unfavorable view.
Favorable views of the U.S. declined significantly in 15 of 24 countries where Pew had comparable data from last year. Mexico was the only country where favorable views improved, rising from 29% to 40%.
Israel had the highest favorable rating for the U.S. at 81%. Pew said some of the lowest ratings came from predominantly Muslim publics, including Malaysians, Pakistanis, Turks and Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The survey did not include Gaza.
The report also found a steep decline in the share of people who consider the U.S. a reliable partner. In Canada, 83% described the U.S. as reliable in 2022, compared with 35% this year.
A 36-country median of 35% said the U.S. contributes a great deal or a fair amount to peace and stability around the world. Pew said that view has fallen in many countries since 2023, including drops of 30 percentage points or more in Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, Canada and Australia.
A median of 32% said the U.S. takes into account the interests of countries like theirs when making foreign policy decisions. That view has become less common in 19 of 22 countries where Pew has comparable trend data from 2023.
The survey also found broad concerns about American democracy and personal freedoms. A 36-country median of 39% said the U.S. government respects the personal freedoms of its people, while 56% said it does not. In 12 of the 13 countries where Pew last asked the question in 2021, there were double-digit declines in the share saying the U.S. respects personal freedoms.
Trump received poor marks internationally on several foreign policy issues, including tariffs, Gaza, Iran, Greenland and the Russia-Ukraine war. Pew said no country surveyed had a majority approving of Trump’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. Kenya was the only country where a majority approved of his handling of tariffs.
Trump’s strongest ratings were in the Philippines, Israel, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. In 26 places surveyed, 30% of the public or less expressed confidence in him. Confidence in Trump declined since last year in 16 of 24 countries where Pew had trend data, and no surveyed country showed a statistically significant increase.
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