US now viewed worse than Russia worldwide, poll finds
Photo: The White House (Getty Images)
Global attitudes toward the US have deteriorated for the second year in a row and are now worse than attitudes toward Russia. According to Reuters, this is attributed to President Donald Trump’s policies, which continue to cause serious strain within NATO.
The agency cites an annual study on the state of democracy commissioned by the Danish Alliance of Democracies Foundation. The survey did not specify the criteria used, but the Alliance states that its goal is to protect and promote democratic values.
According to the results, the US was also most frequently named in response to the question of which country poses the greatest threat to the world, after Russia and Israel.
The alliance’s founder and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says, "the fast decline of the United States' perception around the world is saddening but not shocking".
According to him, US policy over the past 18 months has included trade tariffs, disputes with allies, and statements that have cast doubt on the stability of transatlantic relations.
In particular, the situation has been influenced by tariff policies, cuts in aid to Ukraine, statements regarding Greenland, and tensions surrounding NATO. The sharp deterioration of the global situation in energy markets is also mentioned separately.
Following discussions on security in the Persian Gulf, Trump also announced a possible review of US participation in NATO, which caused additional concern in Europe.
According to the Democracy Perception Index, the US net rating fell to -16% compared to +22% two years ago. Thus, the US ranked below Russia (-11%), while China received +7%.
The survey was conducted from March 19 to April 21 among more than 94,000 respondents in 98 countries.
Trump's popularity plummeting
US President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to a record low during his current term, standing at 34%.
Another poll in the US showed that about 44% of respondents said they fully or somewhat approve of how Trump is performing his duties. At the same time, 54% of those surveyed said they fully or somewhat disapprove of Trump’s performance.
