New poll shows eroding global trust in Trump and America

Lead

A new survey from the Pew Research Center released on Tuesday shows that global confidence in US President Donald Trump's leadership remains low, with only about a quarter of adults across 36 countries expressing trust in him to do the right thing in world affairs. The poll, which surveyed more than 42,000 people, also finds that attitudes toward the United States itself are largely negative, with most respondents holding an unfavourable view of the country.

Coverage comparison

Reporting on the survey, the South China Morning Post and TASS both highlighted the low level of trust in Trump. The South China Morning Post noted that, on average, 23 per cent of adults said they had confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, with roughly two-thirds expressing little or no confidence. TASS, citing the Pew Research Center, similarly reported that a median of 23 per cent of adults across the 36 nations polled express confidence in his leadership, and that 76 per cent of participants said they do not trust the US leader.

Both outlets also covered the negative views of the US overall. The South China Morning Post reported that 37 per cent held a favourable opinion of the US, compared with 57 per cent who viewed it unfavourably. TASS framed the same figures in reverse, stating that an average of 57 per cent of respondents expressed a positive attitude towards the US while 37 per cent expressed a negative attitude.

The two reports diverge slightly in their additional details. TASS provided more granular data on related questions, including whether respondents view the US as a reliable partner, whether it contributes to peace and stability, and whether it takes into account the interests of other countries. The South China Morning Post focused on the trend data, noting that confidence dropped in 16 of the 24 nations with available trends and that no country showed any improvement.

Key Claims

• Only 23 per cent of adults across 36 countries trust Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, according to both the South China Morning Post and TASS.
• About two-thirds of adults expressed little or no confidence in Trump, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
• Confidence in Trump dropped in 16 of the 24 nations with available trends, with no country showing improvement, according to the South China Morning Post.
• Views of the US are largely negative: 37 per cent favourable versus 57 per cent unfavourable, as reported by the South China Morning Post. TASS reported the same figures with different phrasing: 57 per cent positive, 37 per cent negative.
• Favourability toward the US fell in 15 of 24 countries with trend data, including double-digit drops in Indonesia, Italy, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey, according to the South China Morning Post.
• TASS reported that 76 per cent of survey participants do not trust the US leader.
• TASS also reported that 47 per cent of respondents called the US a reliable partner, while 50 per cent called it unreliable.
• TASS reported that 35 per cent believe the US contributes to maintaining peace and stability, while 63 per cent hold the opposite opinion.
• TASS reported that 32 per cent believe the US takes into account the interests of other countries, while 66 per cent disagree.
• More than 42,000 people were surveyed in the study, according to TASS.