Global community has little trust Trump will do "right thing" in foreign affairs, poll finds
The majority of people around the world have little confidence that President Trump will do the "right thing" in world affairs, according to a new poll published by the Pew Research Center. Despite the unpopularity of Mr. Trump, the U.S. is still viewed favorably by the global community.
The poll found 64% of countries surveyed said they do not have confidence that Mr. Trump will do the "right thing" in world affairs. This sentiment is particularly strong in western Europe, where under 25% of people in Spain, France and Germany say they have confidence in Mr. Trump. The number is lowest in Mexico, where only 8% of people have confidence in Mr. Trump to do the "right thing" in world affairs. Mr. Trump made building a wall on the southern border a critical plank of his presidency.
Conversely, India and the Philippines have relatively high confidence in Mr. Trump, with 56% and 77% confidence, respectively. Mr. Trump has cultivated relationships with the controversial leaders of those two countries, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Israel also has high confidence in Mr. Trump.
Pew also found that the majority of Mr. Trump's policies were unpopular globally. A median of 68% across the nations polled disapprove of the U.S. increasing tariffs on foreign goods, and 66% disapprove of the U.S. withdrawing from climate agreements.
However, the U.S. still remains relatively popular across the world. Fifty-four percent of nations surveyed have a favorable view of the U.S., according to the poll. Israel gave the U.S. the highest rating on the survey, with 83% having a favorable view of the U.S.
Moreover, people on the ideological right globally have increased confidence in Mr. Trump. Sixty-one percent of people on the right in Poland have confidence in Mr. Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, compared to 57% in Hungary and 50% in Italy.
Mr. Trump is still less popular than other leaders globally. Forty-six percent of those polled have confidence in German Chancellor Angela Merkel to do the right thing in world affairs, compared to 41% for French President Emmanuel Macron and 33% for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Just 29% have confidence in Mr. Trump, only one percentage point higher than confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Mr. Trump has long pursued a foreign policy based on supporting "America first," leading him to take controversial actions such as withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Climate Accord.