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According to separate YouGov international polling in Europe, Donald Trump has brought American popularity to new lows during his second term of office, particularly as a result of his threats towards Denmark and Greenland. As noted elsewhere in our current study, between 11% and 37% now see the US as the country that poses the greatest threat to global peace.
So how do perceptions of US foreign policy look in other countries, and what does this mean for the kinds of relationship they would like to have with America?
How have things changed under Donald Trump?
We find that most people in each country surveyed think the USA under Trump has become more of a force for bad in the world, ranging 52% among Americans themselves to 74% among Germans and Britons.
Indeed, the US is now seen as a less reliable ally to other countries. Half of Americans themselves acknowledge this (52%) alongside the same number of Poles, with this figure rising as far as 72% in the UK.
The majority of people (60-72%) in Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the UK say that the US has become less friendly towards their own country under Donald Trump. In Poland this is also the plurality answer, albeit at a much lower 35%.
Most people in each country likewise say the US has become less friendly towards the EU under the current president (57-76%). This is also the most common answer in regard to US relations with China, although a notably lower 37-53% think so.
By contrast, responses regarding Russia are more mixed. In the US and UK, notably more believe the US has become friendlier with Russia under Trump (39-41%) than say the opposite (24-25%).
Most other countries are more closely divided in their views, while the French have a greater tendency to think the US is now more hostile to Russia (35%) than being friendlier (25%).
Perceived state of relations with the US, and how this compares to attitudes to other major powers
In terms of relations with their own country, attitudes differ greatly between countries.
In Australia, for instance, 42% see the US as being generally a friend and ally to Australia, with a further 24% describing it as a friendly rival.
By contrast, in Canada only just over a third (37%) collectively give one of these answers, including just 18% who see the US as a friend and ally. In Germany, this figure is even lower, at 14%, although more see the US as a friendly rival (27%).
In fact, fully one in five Canadians (21%) describe the US as “a hostile threat” – hardly surprising given Trump’s threats of annexation. A further 28% of Canadians brand the US “generally unfriendly”, meaning almost half of the population see the relationship with their southern neighbour in negative terms – in fact, this puts the US effectively on a par with Russia in Canadian minds (see more below).
While the number of Germans who see the US as a hostile threat (9%) is not very different to the other countries surveyed (4-8%), they are much more likely to brand it “generally unfriendly” at 35%, coming close to the number of Canadians who feel they have bad relations with the US.
This question was also asked about four other major nations, as well as the EU.
In each country surveyed, Russia is the most likely to be seen as either hostile or unfriendly. This ranges from 51% in Canada to 82% in the UK.
When it comes to the strongest negative opinion – seeing Russia as an actively hostile threat, Poles join Britons in being the most likely to use this term, at 58%. This compares to 43% of Germans, 37% of Americans and 34% of French people, while only 23-24% of Australians and Canadians say the same. Only 5-21% in any country see Russia in friendly terms.
China, which is often seen as a potential future Western adversary, splits opinion more. While most Americans see relations with China in negative terms (55%), alongside a plurality of Britons (43%), the Germans and French are divided, and Poles, Canadians and Australians tend to say relations with China are more warm than cool.
Elsewhere, relations with India and the UK are generally seen in much more positive terms than negative ones, although Canadians stand out in being more likely to think relations with India are negative (27%) than other countries do (11-13%). This is likely to be because of a recent diplomatic row where the Canadian government under Justin Trudeau alleged that the Indian government had assassinated an Canadian activist of Indian descent on in British Columbia. The row escalated to the extent of diplomatic staff being expelled and both countries advising their citizens against traveling to the other.
Likewise, in each country the majority think they have good relations with the European Union, ranging from 56% in Poland to 71% in Australia. Despite negative rhetoric against the EU from Donald Trump, 62% of Americans believe the EU is either a friend and ally or a friendly rival, as do 65% of Canadians. European ministers had recently touted the possibility of Canada joining the EU, a move that Europeans themselves tend support.
Preferred state of relations with the US, and how this compares to attitudes to other major powers
While there may be misgivings about current relations with the US, a majority in each country want to have good relations with them, with 52-72% saying so. However, a much-reduced 19-35% choose the closest option of wanting to be a “friend and ally to the US.
This stands in contrast to attitudes towards the EU, where 62-81% want good relations, including 40-51% who want to occupy this highest tier of friendship.
When it comes to China, 55-66% want good relations, albeit with the lowest numbers saying they want to be friends and allies. Between 22% and 29% want to keep their distance or treat China as a threat.
Attitudes towards India are typically warmer, with 53-75% wanting positive relations, versus 11-25% wanting to keep them at arms’ distance. As noted previously, attitudes among Canadians are the most negative towards India.
Do people think Donald Trump has permanently changed US foreign policy?
While people clearly think Trump has had a negative impact on America’s international outlook, do they think that this will stick?
In the UK and Germany, the plurality think this is the case, with 44% in the former and 49% in the latter saying “the USA’s relationship with other countries has been permanently changed, and things won’t go back to normal just because Donald Trump has gone”.
Other countries tend to take the opposite view, saying “when Donald Trump stops being president things will go back to normal and the USA’s relationships with other countries will go back to how they used to be”. This ranges from 38% in Poland to 50% in Australia.
Results
Topline results for each country
Individual country results
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Photo: Getty