The United States has its weakest global image in years.
That’s according to an annual democracy survey, which found that views of the U.S. have not only declined but have slipped into more negative territory than even its chief geopolitical rivals, Russia and China.
The survey, commissioned by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, found the U.S. with a net perception score of -16 percent on a scale from -100 to +100, trailing Russia at -11 percent and China at +7 percent.
The U.S. also ranked among the top three countries cited in response to a question about which nation poses the greatest threat to the world, behind Russia and Israel, according to Reuters.
“The fast decline of the United States’ perception around the world is saddening but not shocking,” said Anders Fogh Rasmussen, founder of the foundation and former NATO secretary general, according to Reuters.
America’s shift in the international arena, and its ranking below Russia despite Moscow’s widely condemned invasion of Ukraine, comes as the U.S. president has been seen cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country has long been considered a U.S. adversary.
Reached for comment, a White House spokesperson told the Daily Beast: “After four years of Biden’s weakness, incompetence, and deadly failures, President Trump brought the world back from the brink of disaster.
“President Trump’s peace through strength policies are making the entire world safer and more secure,” the spokesperson added.
The negative perception score also reflects broader strains in U.S. alliances as Trump, 79, has continued to face friction with key allies, who have criticized his handling of the war with Iran, opposed his threats to take over Greenland, and seen relations further strained by his repeated suggestions of withdrawing from NATO.
On Thursday, the president issued an ultimatum to European allies on Truth Social, giving them until July 4 to agree to a trade deal or face higher tariffs.
In January, French President Emmanuel Macron responded to a similar tariff threat against European allies who opposed Trump’s proposed takeover of Greenland by criticizing what he called “bully” tactics and “crazy ideas.”
The U.S. commander-in-chief also took issue with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s remarks in late April about Trump’s war in Iran. Washington “quite obviously went into this war without any strategy,” the German leader said.
At home, the president is also facing new lows in polls and surveys.
The latest ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll shows Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 37 percent—his lowest of the term—while his disapproval rating has reached a new high.
The most prevalent issue driving disapproval among Americans is the cost of living crisis, as the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one-fifth of global oil passes—has created a supply shock that has pushed prices higher worldwide.
The negative global and domestic polling is a source of concern for the president and his party as they work to maintain control of the House and Senate in the upcoming November midterm elections.
