Pew Finds Trump Trails Xi and Putin in 36-Country Confidence Survey
Updated
Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 23
Pew Finds Trump Trails Xi and Putin in 36-Country Confidence Survey
3 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 23
Summary
42,151 respondents surveyed this spring showed confidence in Donald Trump lagging behind both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin across 36 countries, underscoring a sharp drop in U.S. standing 18 months into his return.
20% of Canadians now trust Trump to do the right thing in global affairs, while two-thirds hold unfavorable views of the U.S. — the worst readings for America in more than two decades of Pew polling.
Pew tied the slide to tariffs, threats to annex Greenland, the Gaza conflict and a broader perception that Trump is using hard power and raising barriers between the U.S. and the world.
68% confidence in Trump in the Philippines and more than 80% favorable views of the U.S. in Israel were among the main exceptions, while support among far-right voters also fell sharply in Greece, Italy and the U.K.
Pew said the damage could still prove reversible — Canada’s confidence in a U.S. president jumped from 27% in 2007 to 89% after Barack Obama took office in 2009.
With global trust in America at historic lows, which nations might now pursue their own nuclear arsenals?
Can the U.S. economy withstand the Iran war's fallout as its traditional global alliances begin to fracture?
Has America’s era of diplomatic and cultural leadership finally come to an end on the world stage?
Global Confidence in Trump Plummets: Pew Survey Finds 85% Disapprove of U.S. Leadership on Key Issues in 2026
Overview
Recent Pew Research Center findings from June 2026 reveal a complex global view of U.S. President Donald Trump and American leadership. While the international community shows strong disapproval of Trump’s handling of major issues like Greenland, tariffs, the Gaza conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Iran—with a median of 85% disapproval across 10 nations—there are regions where confidence in Trump is higher compared to other world leaders. This mix of widespread concern and pockets of relative support highlights significant dissatisfaction with specific U.S. foreign policies, yet also points to nuanced differences in global perceptions of U.S. leadership.