How do views of Trump compare with other global leaders?

A Pew Research Center survey across 36 countries finds a median of 23% of adults have confidence in U.S. President Donald Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, placing him below most other global leaders tested except Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The survey, conducted among 42,151 adults from February 8 to May 13, 2026, shows Trump's confidence rating trailing French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin [1]. Only Netanyahu received lower overall marks among the leaders included in the study [1]. The findings arrive during a second Trump term that has seen a sharp break with the post-1945 rules-based liberal international order, with the administration described as favoring hard power over multilateralism and dismantling institutions dedicated to American soft power [6]. Confidence in Trump varies sharply by country. In the Philippines, 68% expressed confidence in the U.S. president, while 66% did so in Israel [1]. In Hungary, 44% had confidence in Trump, compared with roughly a third or fewer for Macron, Xi, or Putin [1]. Colombia registered 43% confidence in Trump, higher than the 37% for Macron [1]. Relations between the U.S. and Colombia deteriorated significantly during Trump's second term, with Washington imposing sanctions on Colombian President Gustavo Petro [8]. In several middle-income nations, including Argentina, Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, and Peru, Trump ranks among the leaders rated most positively, often tying with Xi or Macron [1]. By contrast, confidence falls to 11% in Mexico and 20% in Canada [1]. In Germany, 16% have confidence in Trump, a figure comparable to the 15% recorded for both Putin and Netanyahu, while 72% of Germans expressed confidence in Macron [1]. Among Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, only 4% have confidence in Trump, similar to the 2% for Netanyahu [1]. Trump's second term has been marked by an "America First" foreign policy that critics describe as imperialist and expansionist in the Americas and the Middle East, while isolationist toward Europe [6]. The administration has sought friendlier relations with certain U.S. adversaries, moves that have coincided with large drops in global public opinion of the United States [6]. Trump has also pursued a realignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offering concessions to Russia in efforts to end the war in Ukraine and stating that Ukraine bore partial responsibility for the invasion [6]. The low confidence figures in Muslim-majority publics align with a foreign policy that has taken a strongly pro-Israel stance, including increased support for Israel in the Gaza war and a proposal to take over the Gaza Strip while relocating the Palestinian population [6]. In early October 2025, a Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was signed under a Trump plan [5]. The administration later launched a major attack on Iran alongside Israel in February 2026 with the stated goal of regime change, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis [5].