Donald Trump the World Will Respect the United States Again

This analysis focuses on public opinion of the United States in xvi advanced economies in Northward America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Views of the U.S. and its president are examined in the context of long-term trend information. The report also explores how people view President Joe Biden'due south proposed policies and characteristics.

For this report, we use information from nationally representative surveys of 16,254 adults from March 12 to May 26, 2021. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, Belgium, French republic, Germany, Greece, Italian republic, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the U.k., Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South korea and Taiwan.

This study was conducted in places where nationally representative telephone surveys are feasible. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, face-to-face interviewing is not currently possible in many parts of the earth.

Here are the questions used for the report, along with responses, and the survey methodology.

The election of Joe Biden as president has led to a dramatic shift in America's international prototype. Throughout Donald Trump's presidency, publics around the globe held the U.s.a. in low regard, with almost opposed to his foreign policies. This was especially true amid key American allies and partners. Now, a new Pew Enquiry Centre survey of 16 publics finds a significant uptick in ratings for the U.S., with strong support for Biden and several of his major policy initiatives.

In each of the 16 publics surveyed, more six-in-10 say they accept confidence in Biden to do the right matter in earth affairs. Looking at 12 nations surveyed both this year and in 2020, a median of 75% limited conviction in Biden, compared with 17% for Trump last year.

During the by two decades, presidential transitions accept had a major impact on overall attitudes toward the U.Due south. When Barack Obama took role in 2009, ratings improved in many nations compared with where they had been during George West. Bush-league's administration, and when Trump entered the White House in 2017, ratings declined sharply. This year, U.S. favorability is up over again: Whereas a median of merely 34% beyond 12 nations had a favorable overall opinion of the U.S. last twelvemonth, a median of 62% now hold this view.

In French republic, for example, merely 31% expressed a positive opinion of the U.S. terminal year, matching the poor ratings from March 2003, at the height of U.S.-France tensions over the Republic of iraq War. This year, 65% see the U.S. positively, approaching the high ratings that characterized the Obama era. Improvements of 25 percentage points or more are too found in Germany, Nihon, Italian republic, kingdom of the netherlands and Canada.

Still, attitudes toward the U.S. vary considerably across the publics surveyed. For example, just about half in Singapore and Australia have a favorable opinion of the U.S., and but 42% of New Zealanders hold this view. And while 61% see the U.S. favorably in Taiwan, this is actually downward slightly from 68% in a 2022 poll.

In most countries polled, people brand a stark distinction between Biden and Trump as world leaders. Nearly eight-in-ten Germans (78%) have confidence in Biden to do the right thing in globe affairs; a year ago, just x% said this virtually Trump. Similar differences are found in Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands, and in all nations where a trend is bachelor from 2022 there is a divergence of at to the lowest degree twoscore percentage points.

Equally is the case with views of the U.s. as a whole, conviction in U.S. presidents has shifted dramatically over the past two decades, especially in Western Europe. In Germany, the United Kingdom, Kingdom of spain and France – four nations Pew Enquiry Center has surveyed consistently – ratings for Bush and Trump were similarly low during their presidencies, while this year confidence in Biden is fairly similar to the ratings Obama received while in office.

Biden's high ratings are tied in part to positive assessments of his personal characteristics, and here again the contrast with Trump is stark. Looking at 12 countries polled during the first twelvemonth of both their presidencies, a median of 77% describe Biden as well-qualified to exist president, compared with xvi% who felt this way about Trump. Few call up of Biden equally big-headed or dangerous, while large majorities applied those terms to Trump. Assessments of the two leaders are more similar when information technology comes to being a potent leader, although even on this measure, Biden gets much more positive reviews than his predecessor.

High levels of confidence in Biden are also tied to favorable views of his policies, several of which have emphasized multilateralism and reversed Trump assistants decisions. The current survey examines attitudes toward four of the Biden administration'southward key policies and finds widespread support for all four.

A median of 89% across the 16 publics surveyed approve of the U.South. rejoining the Globe Wellness Organization (WHO), which the U.Due south. withdrew from during Trump'due south presidency. A median of 85% also support the U.S. rejoining the Paris climate agreement. Trump'south withdrawal from the Paris agreement was met with widespread criticism, and it was overwhelmingly unpopular in the surveys the Eye conducted during his presidency. For example, in 2022 just eight% in France approved of Trump's plans to withdraw support for international climate change agreements, compared with 91% who at present dorsum Biden's reentry into the agreement.

Support for the Biden assistants's proposal to organize a summit of democracies from effectually the world is as well widespread, with a median of 85% saying they approve. There is simply slightly less support (a median of 76%) for Biden'south plan to allow more refugees into the U.Due south. (Biden campaigned on allowing more refugees into the country, briefly reversed his initial goal to raise the refugee cap from levels set by the Trump administration, then walked back the reversal amid criticism.)

Biden has also made clear that he plans to strengthen America'southward commitment to the NATO alliance. Every bit the current poll shows, NATO is viewed positively by the member states included in the survey. (See "NATO continues to be seen in a favorable light by people in member states" for more.)

Although Biden'south more multilateral arroyo to foreign policy is welcomed, there is yet a widespread perception that the U.S. mainly looks after its own interests in globe affairs. More than half in about of the publics surveyed say the U.South. does not accept their interests into business relationship when it is making foreign policy decisions, although fewer feel this way in Japan, Greece and Germany.

Doubts most the U.S. considering the interests of other countries predate the Trump administration, and this has been the prevailing view – fifty-fifty among shut U.S. allies – since the Center began request the question in 2002.

Despite widely reported bilateral and multilateral tensions between the U.S. and many of its major allies and partners over the last iv years, relatively few people describe the U.Due south. as an "unreliable partner." Simply neither do they limited great confidence in the U.S. equally an ally. Across the 16 publics polled, a median of 56% say the U.S. is somewhat reliable, while just 11% draw America as very reliable.

In improver to the concerns some have about how America engages with other nations, there are also concerns almost domestic politics in the U.Due south. The xvi publics surveyed are divided in their views about how well the U.South. political system is functioning, with a median of simply 5o% saying information technology is working well.

And few believe American democracy, at least in its current state, serves equally a adept model for other nations. A median of just 17% say democracy in the U.S. is a good case for others to follow, while 57% say it used to exist a skillful example only has not been in contempo years. Another 23% do non believe it has e'er been a skillful instance.

One of the reasons for the low ratings the U.S. received in 2022 was the widespread perception that it was handling the global pandemic poorly. In the electric current poll, the U.S. gets significantly more positive marks for how it is handling COVID-19, only most still say the U.S. has washed a bad chore of dealing with the outbreak (for more, see "Global views of how U.Southward. has handled pandemic accept improved, but few say it's done a good task").

In his starting time overseas trip as president, Biden is preparing to attend the G7 summit in the Britain and the NATO summit in Brussels. Once at that place, he volition meet with two other leaders widely trusted for their treatment of world affairs.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel actually receives slightly higher ratings than Biden: A median of 77% across the 16 publics surveyed express conviction in Merkel's international leadership. A smaller median of 63% vox conviction in French President Emmanuel Macron.

Relatively few trust Russian President Vladimir Putin to do the right thing in world affairs, while Chinese President Eleven Jinping has the everyman ratings on the survey.

These are among the major findings from a Pew Research Middle survey conducted amongst xvi,254 respondents in 16 publics – not including the U.Due south. – from March 12 to May 26, 2021. The survey too finds that views toward the U.S. and President Biden often differ by credo and historic period.

Spotlight: How views of the U.S. vary with political ideology and age

Ideology

In many of the publics surveyed, ideological orientation plays a function in how people view the U.S. and American democracy.

• People who place themselves on the correct of the political spectrum are more than probable to accept a positive view of the U.South. in nearly every state where credo is measured. And this full general pattern has not changed much over time, with those on the correct belongings a more than favorable view of the U.S. during the Trump and Obama administrations also.
• In 11 countries, people on the right are more probable than those on the left to say democracy in the U.S. is a skilful case for other countries to follow. And in a similar set of countries, they are also more probable to think the U.S. political organisation works well.
• Overall, majorities on the left, center and right of the political spectrum approve of the policies included in the survey. Nonetheless, Biden'southward decision to allow more refugees into the U.Due south. is incomparably more popular among people on the left. In near one-half the countries, those on the left are likewise more than likely to approve of the U.S. rejoining the Earth Health Organization.

Age

In general, favorable views of the U.South. exercise not vary based on age in Europe or the Asia-Pacific region. But historic period is a factor when it comes to confidence in the U.S. president and other earth leaders.

• Across most places surveyed, adults ages 65 and older are significantly more likely than those ages 18 to 29 to have confidence in Biden to do the correct things in world diplomacy. Trust in Biden is so high overall, however, that at least half in all age groups concur this view.
• Older adults also have more than confidence in Merkel in half of the surveyed areas. Trust in Putin shows the opposite pattern, with younger adults more than likely to have confidence in the Russian president in well-nigh of the publics surveyed.
• Adults under thirty as well deviate from older adults in their views of American commonwealth. In about one-half of the publics surveyed, younger adults are more probable to think republic in the U.S. has never been a good model for other countries to follow.

Favorable views of the U.S. have rebounded

In every identify surveyed except New Zealand, around half or more take a favorable stance of the U.S. Ratings are highest in S Korea, where 77% take positive views of the U.South., and around two-thirds or more in Japan, France and the UK say the aforementioned.

These broadly positive views reverberate a sharp uptick since last summer, when ratings of the U.S. were at or almost historic lows in almost countries. For case, in Belgium, where only a quarter had favorable views of the U.Southward. last twelvemonth, a 56% majority say the same today.

In France, the UK and Federal republic of germany, positive views have increased fifty-fifty since this past November and December. Surveys in these iii countries constitute tepid views of the U.S. terminal December – after major media outlets had called the ballot for now-President Joe Biden but before his inauguration and the fierce storming of the U.Southward. Capitol on Jan. 6 past a mob of Trump'south supporters. Evaluations ranged from 40% favorable in Germany to 51% in the United kingdom. Today, positive views accept increased past double digits in all three countries, with around six-in-ten or more than in each of these countries now saying they view the U.South. favorably.

In many places, favorable views of the U.S. accept now rebounded to roughly the aforementioned levels that were seen toward the terminate of President Obama's second term. Take France equally an case: The share who have positive views of the U.S. has more than than doubled since last year, from 31% – a record depression – to 65%, which is comparable to the 63% who had favorable views of the U.S. at the stop of the Obama administration.

Views of American commonwealth and foreign policy both factor into how people feel about the U.S. For example, those who recall the U.S. political system is working well and those who recollect American democracy is a skillful example for other countries to follow are much more probable to have favorable views of the U.S. Similarly, those who think the U.Southward. is a reliable partner and who think the U.S. takes other countries' interests into account also have more positive views of the superpower. And people who believe the U.S. is doing a good job of dealing with the COVID-nineteen pandemic are more likely to express a positive view of the country.

Some concerns nigh operation of U.S. democracy

Majorities in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Sweden and the netherlands are skeptical of how the U.Due south. political system functions. On the flip side, majorities in Republic of korea, Greece, Italy, Japan, Taiwan and Kingdom of spain express at to the lowest degree some confidence in the American organization of regime.

However, fifty-fifty among publics where majorities recollect the U.S. political system works at least somewhat well, this conviction is lukewarm: At near, nearly a 5th say the American political system functions very well. In most places surveyed, the share who say this is smaller than ane-in-10.

While attitudes are mixed almost how well the U.S. political system functions, publics in the avant-garde economies surveyed are largely skeptical that democracy in the U.Due south. is a good instance for other countries to follow. Beyond all publics surveyed, no more than about three-in-ten say the U.S. is currently setting a good example of democratic values.

Rather, majorities or pluralities say American republic used to be a practiced instance only has non been in recent years, and upwards to nearly a quarter reject the thought that the U.S. has ever been a good model of democracy.

Merely nearly a 3rd say the U.S. considers their interests in foreign policy

Despite the precipitous uptick in favorable views of the U.S. and its president in 2021, well-nigh people surveyed go along to say the U.S. doesn't take into account the interests of publics similar theirs when making international policy decisions. Across the sixteen publics, a median of 67% say the U.S. does not take their interests into account likewise much or at all, while only 34% say Washington considers their interests a groovy bargain or fair amount.

Beyond the European countries surveyed, there is a off-white amount of variation in this assessment. As few as 16% in Sweden say the U.S. considers Sweden's interests when making foreign policy, but roughly half or more than in Hellenic republic and Deutschland do. In Deutschland, this represents a 32 percentage bespeak increment since 2018, when this question was concluding asked. Despite this uptick, replicated across many of the European nations surveyed in both years, majorities in the region say the U.S. does not consider their interests when making foreign policy decisions.

Asian-Pacific publics also tend to say Washington discounts their interests, including 85% among New Zealanders. Effectually seven-in-10 in Australia and South korea, as well as 54% in Singapore, concur that the U.S. does not consider their interests when making strange policy.

In Taiwan, which has a complicated unofficial human relationship with the U.S., 51% say the U.S. does not consider their interests, while 44% say information technology does. Amid Japanese adults, opinions are nigh equally divided between people who say the U.Due south. takes their views into account when making foreign policy and those that say the U.S. does not. (During the survey fielding, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga visited the U.South., attending what was Biden's first face-to-face meeting with a strange leader since he became president.)

There take been pregnant increases in the shares proverb the U.S. considers their interests when making foreign policy since the question was concluding asked during the Trump presidency. In addition to the jump in Germany, in that location have been double-digit increases in such sentiment in Greece, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, French republic, the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland and Spain. In Greece and Canada, this is the highest such reading in a Pew Enquiry Heart survey, even compared with the Obama era.

Even so, the predominant sentiment, going back to 2002 when the question was first asked, is that the U.S. does not consider the interests of countries like theirs. The ballot of Joe Biden has non fundamentally changed that.

Most say that the U.South. is a somewhat reliable partner

Across the sixteen publics surveyed, majorities or pluralities say the U.S. is a somewhat reliable partner. Merely in no public surveyed practice more than ii-in-ten say that the U.S. is a very reliable partner.

At the same time, fewer than 4-in ten say the U.S. is a not likewise reliable partner, and in no public exercise more than one-in-seven say that the U.Due south. is a not at all reliable partner.

The sentiment that the U.S. is a very or somewhat reliable partner is highest in the Netherlands (80%), Australia (75%) and Nippon (75%). But 44% in Taiwan and 43% in Hellenic republic say the U.S. is not besides or non at all reliable.

Nearly all say relations with U.S. will stay the same or get better over the next few years

When asked whether relations with the U.S. will go amend, worse or stay the aforementioned over the next few years, a median of 57% across the 16 publics say they will stay the same. While a continuation of current relations with the U.S. is the most common response, a median of 39% say relations volition become better and simply 5% say they volition become worse.

The merely place where a majority thinks relations with the U.South. will get better is Germany (60% say this), where attitudes almost the transatlantic brotherhood accept become increasingly pessimistic in recent years. One-half of Canadians also say relations with their southern neighbor will get better over the next few years.

In 2017, when this question was asked specifically nearly then-newly elected President Trump and his effect on bilateral relations, the most common answer was also that they would remain the same. But dorsum and so, few said that relations with the U.S. would improve nether Trump, and significant portions of the population thought they would deteriorate, including 56% in Frg who said this.

High confidence in Biden across Europe, Asia-Pacific

In the first year of his presidency, Biden enjoys positive ratings from majorities in each of the publics surveyed. Overall, a median of 74% have confidence in the U.S. president to exercise the right affair in world affairs.

Confidence is peculiarly loftier in the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Germany and Canada, where about eight-in-ten or more trust Biden when it comes to international diplomacy. He receives his everyman ratings in Greece, South korea and Taiwan, though more than than half dozen-in-10 in each trust his handling of world diplomacy.

Widespread confidence in Biden contrasts starkly with views of his predecessor. Trust in the U.S. president was historically depression in most countries surveyed during Trump's presidency. In many cases, notwithstanding, the share who accept confidence in Biden is not as high as the share who had conviction in Obama at the start or end of his presidency.

Germany is a good instance of this design. In 2020, just 10% of Germans had conviction in Trump to do the right affair in earth affairs (matching a previous all-time depression earlier in Trump's presidency). Once Biden took office, conviction in the U.S. president increased by 68 percent points in Germany, but it is still lower in that location than the best high of 93% in 2009, Obama's first twelvemonth in part. A like tendency tin can exist seen in Sweden, the Netherlands, French republic, Italy, Canada, Australia, South korea and Japan.

Even so, in Hellenic republic, confidence in the U.Due south. president is the highest it has been since Pew Enquiry Center commencement asked this question in that location. A much higher share of Greeks have confidence in Biden compared with Obama in 2022 and earlier. Notably, Biden has shared a positive human relationship with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Greeks are more than twice as likely now to say the U.S. takes their country's interests into account when making policy decisions (53%) than they were when Obama was president (20% in 2013).

Biden more trusted than Putin and Xi, less trusted than Merkel

Publics limited much more conviction in Biden than in Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President 11 Jinping. Biden also fares well in comparison with French President Emmanuel Macron, only his ratings tend to trail those of High german Chancellor Angela Merkel.

A median of 77% accept confidence in Merkel to do the right thing in world diplomacy. She receives somewhat higher ratings in the Netherlands, Sweden, Espana, Kingdom of belgium, France, New Zealand and Commonwealth of australia than in her home country, though a large majority of Germans yet express confidence in the chancellor. Of the xvi publics surveyed, Greece is the only i where fewer than half concord this view. Faith in Merkel has also increased since the summer of 2022 in six of the 12 countries where information is available for both years.

A median of 63% have confidence in Macron when it comes to his treatment of world affairs. Roughly eight-in-ten or more hold this view in Greece and Sweden. As with Merkel, Macron'south ratings in his domicile land are positive, but more subdued than in other publics; 53% of people in France trust the French president to do what is right in international affairs.

Medians of only around one-in-5 express confidence in Putin or Eleven. Singapore and Greece are the only countries where more half trust either president; 55% in both Greece and Singapore say they have conviction in Putin, and 70% in Singapore say the same of Xi.

Ratings for the Chinese president take been consistently depression in many countries, particularly across the Western European nations surveyed, since this question was showtime asked in 2014. Opinion of Putin in these countries extends back even further and shows a similarly negative pattern in that location.

Biden seen too-qualified to exist president

Reflecting loftier levels of confidence in the U.S. president, overwhelming majorities say Biden is well-qualified for the position, and many see him as a strong leader. Very few view Biden as either dangerous or arrogant. And in nigh cases, these views are in stark contrast to views of his predecessor.

A median of 77% think Biden is well-qualified for his role every bit president, ranging from 64% in Nippon to 84% in Sweden. Among many of these same publics polled in 2017, only a tertiary or fewer saw Trump too-qualified.

The gap between perceptions of the two American presidents is peculiarly wide in Sweden and Frg. Only 10% of Swedes thought Trump was well-qualified to be president during his first yr in office. In the electric current survey, 84% see Biden as qualified, a 74 percentage indicate difference. Amidst Germans, 6% thought Trump was well-qualified, compared with eight-in-ten who say the same of Biden this yr.

A difference of roughly 50 points or more than on this question appears in nearly every land where data is available for both leaders.

Biden and Trump are viewed the most similarly when information technology comes to perceptions of them as strong leaders. In 2017, relatively large shares saw Trump equally a strong leader, even in countries where few had confidence in him to do the right thing in globe affairs. In countries where data is bachelor for both leaders, more people tend to run across Biden as a strong leader, simply in several countries, the difference is comparatively small.

Very few people across the publics surveyed think Biden could exist described as dangerous (median of xiv%) or arrogant (median of 13%). This is a hitting divergence from how Trump was viewed early in his presidency.

For example, there is an 83-point departure in holland between those who viewed Trump as big-headed (92%) and those who currently say the same about Biden (ix%). Differences of roughly eighty points or more than on this question can also exist seen in France, Sweden, Spain, Germany and Canada.

Similarly, majorities in each country saw Trump as dangerous in 2017, while no more than 21% hold this view of Biden, resulting in differences of roughly 40 points or more in countries where data is bachelor for both leaders.

Biden's strange policy agenda broadly popular across advanced economies

The Biden assistants'southward foreign policies included on the survey savor widespread popularity. Of the four policies tested, the Us' reentry into the World Health System (WHO) garners the most approval, with a median of 89% saying they support the motion. Support for this policy is well-nigh prevalent in Europe, where shares ranging from 86% to 94% approve of the U.S. returning to the arrangement. The move is likewise broadly pop in Canada and the Asia-Pacific.

Biden'south decision to recommit to the Paris climate agreement is also very well received. A median of 85% approve of the U.Southward. rejoining the accord. Beyond Europe, nearly nine-in-10 or more across vi countries polled favor the motility, with respondents in holland, Frg and the Britain following closely behind. Shares of roughly 8-in-x or greater are too supportive in Canada and the Asia-Pacific region.

Rejoining the accord represents a reversal from old President Trump'due south decision to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement, a move that was met with widespread disapproval when Pew Research Centre asked almost it in 2017.

In all countries the Center surveyed both this year and iv years ago, Biden'south approach is considerably more pop than Trump'southward. For example, in Spain, just 8% canonical of Trump withdrawing support for international climate agreements in 2017, while 93% approve of the U.S. rejoining the Paris understanding this yr, an 85 percent point difference. In every state, rejoining the agreement is met with approving from shares at least four times as large as the shares who supported leaving it.

In add-on to Biden's reversal of Trump-era withdrawals from international organizations and pacts, his plans for the U.Southward. to host a summit of democratic nations earns widespread approving. Across the 16 publics polled, a median of 85% express back up for the convening, and in each, eight-in-10 or more than say they favor the programme.

Attitudes toward this policy amidst several publics are divided by views of American commonwealth. Amidst most publics surveyed, those who think the U.S. is a practiced example of democracy for other countries to follow back up the summit more than those who think the U.S. has never been a adept example. For example, in Sweden, 91% of those who think the U.S. is currently setting a good example of democratic values approve of the U.Southward. convening leaders from other democracies, compared with 71% of those who doubt the U.S. has ever set a good example of democracy, a twenty-point difference.

Those who view the U.S. as a reliable partner are more likely to approve of the U.S. hosting a elevation of democratic nations in 13 of the publics surveyed. For example, in Germany, 89% of those who think the U.South. is a reliable partner approve of this policy, whereas merely 68% of those who view the U.Due south. as unreliable agree, a 21-point difference.

Approval of Biden's plan to increase the number of refugees immune into the U.S. is as well widespread. A median of about iii-quarters back up the change, and nowhere practise fewer than six-in-ten agree with the decision. This comes every bit Biden reversed his initial goal to raise the refugee cap in the U.S. from the levels set by the Trump administration, but then walked dorsum the reversal amid criticism.

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Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2021/06/10/americas-image-abroad-rebounds-with-transition-from-trump-to-biden/

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