How do international perceptions of Trump’s trustworthiness compare to U.S. domestic polls?

1. International outlook: low confidence and wide variation

Across 24 countries surveyed by Pew Research, a median 34% have confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs while 62% do not, and in 19 of those 24 countries a majority said they lacked confidence in his leadership on the world stage ^{[1] [2]}; the negativity is concentrated in key allies such as Mexico, Sweden, Germany and Spain where lack of confidence reaches 80–91% in some places ^[1]. Yet this international distrust is not monolithic: sizable pockets of support exist in countries like Nigeria (79% some or a lot of confidence), Israel (69%), Kenya (64%), Hungary (53%) and India (52%), and right‑wing voters in Europe aligned with parties such as AfD, Fidesz and Reform UK rate Trump more positively than left or centrist publics ^[1].

2. European special case: near‑lowest trust among leaders

European surveys portray Trump as one of the least trusted leaders on a 0–10 trust scale, scoring about 2.6 — second only to Vladimir Putin at 1.5 in the sample cited by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs — a reflection of concerns about his withdrawal from international institutions and threats to NATO and climate commitments ^[6]. Think‑tank polling and ECFR studies reinforce that many Europeans now see the U.S. as a less reliable ally under Trump and even view Beijing’s influence as rising, a perception tied to policy moves such as exits from WHO and the Paris Agreement and rhetoric about distancing from the ICC ^{[6] [7]}.

3. U.S. domestic polling: stable but polarized approval

Domestically, multiple U.S. polls in late 2025 and early 2026 show Trump’s approval clustering in the high 30s to low 40s, with outlets reporting figures like 40% (NYT/Siena), 39% (CNN/SSRS), and mid‑30s in Gallup at points during his second term; partisan divides are extreme — near‑unanimous Republican backing but low approval among independents and many minority groups ^{[3] [4] [5]}. U.S. assessments focus on performance across domestic issues (economy, immigration) as much as foreign policy, and approval numbers are shaped by domestic short‑term sentiment and polarized media ecosystems ^{[4] [8]}.

4. Why the gap exists: question framing, stakes and partisan lenses

The contrast between international distrust and domestic steadiness arises from several measurable differences: international surveys ask about confidence in handling world affairs or trustworthiness in international conduct — questions that foreground treaty commitments and multilateral behavior — while U.S. polls often ask about job approval, which blends domestic policy outcomes with partisan identity ^{[2] [3]}. Abroad, voters react to concrete foreign‑policy moves (withdrawals from multilateral institutions, tariff actions) and fear of a less predictable U.S. partner, whereas U.S. public opinion is filtered through partisan loyalty and assessments of domestic performance ^{[6] [9]}.

5. Caveats, agendas and what the polling doesn’t settle

Polling snapshots do not resolve long‑term reputational shifts: Pew cautions timing matters — surveys ran around diplomatic events and tariff announcements that could sway results ^[2] — and think‑tank analyses note that some pro‑right constituencies abroad have warmed to Trump, suggesting the fracture is ideological as well as geographic ^{[1] [6]}. Media outlets and political actors have incentives to amplify either the international rebuke or domestic resilience: critics highlight global distrust to argue U.S. isolation is growing, while allies of the president point to steady domestic approval as electoral legitimacy, so readers should treat both narratives as politically freighted ^{[7] [10]}.