Trump's America faces global side-eye
· Axios
The U.S. is losing standing abroad as President Trump's foreign policy fuels doubts about whether America can still be counted on, according to new polling.
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Why it matters: The Pew Research Center findings capture how Trump's second-term approach is reshaping America's image, with allies and partners increasingly viewing Washington as unreliable, self-interested and less committed to global cooperation.
By the numbers: Seventy-six percent of people in 36 countries have no confidence in Trump, while 23% trust his leadership, according to the survey released Tuesday.
- About 57% of respondents view the U.S. unfavorably, compared with 37% who view it positively.
- Around 50% say the U.S. is an unreliable partner, compared with 47% who say it is reliable.
- Only 32% believe the U.S. considers other countries' interests compared to 66% who disagree.
The big picture: Trump has taken an aggressive approach toward global organizations such as the United Nations, calling it ineffective.
- He withdrew the U.S. from several U.N. commitments, reduced funding contributions and repeatedly criticized its leadership. Some world leaders viewed his decision to convene more than two dozen countries for the inaugural summit of his Board of Peace in February as an attempt to undermine the U.N.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is in Washington, D.C., this week to meet with Trump and reaffirm the alliance's relationship with the U.S. The partnership has been strained as Trump threatens to withdraw from NATO, which would need congressional approval.
- The White House didn't respond to Axios' request for comment.
Zoom in: Perceptions of U.S. reliability declined sharply among traditional allies since Pew last asked the question in 2022 under President Biden's administration.
- About 83% of Canadians described the U.S. as a reliable partner in 2022, compared with 35% today. U.S. standing in Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany likewise plummeted by 40+ percentage points.
- In Japan, 76% of people characterized the U.S. as reliable in 2022, compared to 59% in 2026.
- And in France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom, U.S. reliability ratings fell by 30+ points.
Yes, but: In Hungary, which was led by Trump ally Prime Minister Viktor Orbán until April, respondents viewed the U.S. as more reliable under Trump.
- The share rose from 59% in 2022 to 65% in 2026.
Zoom out: President Obama consistently received high confidence ratings in France, Germany, Spain and the U.K throughout his two terms. Biden similarly had high ratings, though they dipped toward the end of his presidency.
- Trump's latest confidence ratings in those four Western European countries are slightly higher than they were at the end of his first term. They're roughly on par with President George W. Bush's ratings at the end of his second term.
- None of the 36 countries surveyed had a majority of people who approved of Trump's handling of international issues, including the wars in Iran, Gaza, and Ukraine; immigration; tariffs or humanitarian aid.
Methodology: Over 40,000 adults were surveyed between February 8 to May 13, 2026. The survey has an average ± 4% margin of error.
Go deeper: Trump's messy path to peace