Global Cooling

HOW THE WORLD SEES AMERICA

"The opinion of the world is important to the security of our nation."
— Benjamin Franklin

Pew Research • Gallup • Ipsos • 33 Countries Tracked

49%

Global Median Favorability (2025)

25%

Confidence in Trump (Global Median)

−10 pts

Drop from Biden Era

15 of 24

Countries with Declining View

Regional Snapshot

🇪🇺 Europe

~36%

↓ Down ~18 pts from Biden era

Greenland tariffs, NATO tensions, and trade wars have pushed traditional allies to their lowest favorability since polling began. Sweden at 19% is the most dramatic case.

🌎 Americas

~38%

↓ Down ~20 pts from Biden era

Canada and Mexico, America's two largest trading partners, suffered the most from tariffs and "51st state" rhetoric. Brazil remains an outlier at 70%.

🌏 Asia-Pacific

~56%

↓ Down ~8 pts from Biden era

Japan and South Korea remain relatively favorable, but India saw rapid downgrade. Trade tariffs on Southeast Asia reached extreme levels (up to 3,521%).

🌍 Middle East & Africa

~48%

Mixed — varies widely

Israel (83%) and Nigeria (78%) are the brightest spots. Kenya holds steady. Saudi Arabia and Tunisia remain low. Wide variation reflects divergent US policies in the region.

Key Findings

📉

Allies Hit Hardest

America's closest allies saw the steepest declines. Sweden dropped 28 points, Mexico 32 points, and Canada 20 points in a single year — driven by tariffs, annexation rhetoric, and Greenland threats.

🔄

The Familiar Arc

Global opinion follows a clear pattern: high under Obama, sharp decline under Trump 1.0, Biden recovery, then Trump 2.0 collapse. Many countries are now at or below their Trump 1.0 lows.

📊

Only 3 Countries Improved

Of 24 countries surveyed by Pew, only Turkey (+7), Nigeria (+6), and Israel (+6) showed increased favorability in 2025. Every other country declined or held flat.

💰

Tariffs Didn't Fix the Deficit

Despite imposing the highest average tariffs since 1934 (27%), the US trade deficit barely budged: $901.5B in 2025 vs. $903.5B in 2024. Trade simply shifted to other countries.

🤝

Allies Seeking Independence

Germany's chancellor prioritized "independence from the USA." Japan and South Korea are exploring a free trade agreement with China. NATO allies pledged up to 5% GDP defense spending.

💵

Dollar Weakening

The dollar (DXY index) fell 10.7% in the first half of 2025 — its worst 6-month performance in 50 years. Central banks are diversifying into gold, Canadian and Australian dollars.

Sources & Methodology

Primary source: Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Survey (2015–2025). Metric: "% with favorable view of the United States." Surveys conducted January–May of each year across 24–35 countries.

Secondary sources: Gallup World Poll (US Leadership Approval), Ipsos Global Reputation Survey (2025), and Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index.

Trade data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Tax Foundation Tariff Tracker, Yale Budget Lab, Congressional Research Service.

Diplomatic data: Council on Foreign Relations, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, European Council on Foreign Relations, published news sources (cited per country).

Where exact favorability figures were not published for a specific era, estimates are derived from regional trends and marked with (~). All commercial and diplomatic impacts cover January 2025 – March 2026.