Global Trust in Trump Falls, US Image Weakens, Pew Survey Finds

A Pew Research Center survey conducted between February and May 2026 in 36 countries with more than 42,000 respondents shows a steep decline in global confidence in President Donald Trump and a weakening of the United States' international image. The median share of respondents who say Trump will “do the right thing” on world affairs is only 23%, and just 37% hold a favorable view of the United States, while 57% express a negative opinion.

Disapproval is especially high in Europe, where more than three‑quarters of respondents across several nations rate Trump unfavorably, and confidence in the U.S. as a reliable partner has fallen sharply in traditional allies such as Canada (from 83% in 2022 to 35% in 2026). Some countries, including the Philippines, Israel, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana, still show modest levels of trust, but the overall trend points to a significant erosion of U.S. soft power.

Compared with other world leaders, Trump ranks below French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and only Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scores lower.