The election of Joe Biden as president has led to a dramatic shift in America'due south international image. Throughout Donald Trump'southward presidency, publics effectually the world held the United States in low regard, with most opposed to his foreign policies. This was especially true amongst central American allies and partners. Now, a new Pew Research Center survey of 16 publics finds a significant uptick in ratings for the U.Due south., with stiff back up for Biden and several of his major policy initiatives.

This analysis focuses on public opinion of the United States in 16 advanced economies in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Views of the U.S. and its president are examined in the context of long-term tendency information. The report besides explores how people view President Joe Biden'southward proposed policies and characteristics.

For this report, we use data from nationally representative surveys of 16,254 adults from March 12 to May 26, 2021. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, Belgium, France, Federal republic of germany, Greece, Italian republic, the Netherlands, Espana, Sweden, the Uk, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

This study was conducted in places where nationally representative phone surveys are feasible. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, face-to-face interviewing is not currently possible in many parts of the world.

Here are the questions used for the report, along with responses, and the survey methodology.

In each of the 16 publics surveyed, more than than six-in-ten say they have confidence in Biden to practise the correct thing in world affairs. Looking at 12 nations surveyed both this year and in 2020, a median of 75% express confidence in Biden, compared with 17% for Trump terminal yr.

Chart shows Biden gets much higher ratings than Trump, and U.S. favorability is up significantly

During the past two decades, presidential transitions take had a major affect on overall attitudes toward the U.S. When Barack Obama took office in 2009, ratings improved in many nations compared with where they had been during George Due west. Bush's administration, and when Trump entered the White Business firm in 2017, ratings declined sharply. This year, U.S. favorability is up again: Whereas a median of just 34% across 12 nations had a favorable overall opinion of the U.S. last year, a median of 62% now hold this view.

In French republic, for instance, just 31% expressed a positive stance of the U.S. last year, matching the poor ratings from March 2003, at the height of U.S.-France tensions over the Republic of iraq State of war. This year, 65% see the U.S. positively, approaching the high ratings that characterized the Obama era. Improvements of 25 percentage points or more are as well found in Germany, Japan, Italy, holland and Canada.

Nonetheless, attitudes toward the U.South. vary considerably across the publics surveyed. For case, only almost one-half in Singapore and Australia take a favorable opinion of the U.Due south., and just 42% of New Zealanders hold this view. And while 61% see the U.Due south. favorably in Taiwan, this is actually down slightly from 68% in a 2022 poll.

Chart shows U.S. favorability sees one of its steepest recoveries in years from 2022 to 2021
Chart shows a big shift in views of the U.S. president

In about countries polled, people make a stark distinction between Biden and Trump every bit world leaders. Nearly eight-in-ten Germans (78%) have conviction in Biden to do the right affair in globe affairs; a twelvemonth ago, just x% said this about Trump. Similar differences are found in Sweden, Belgium and kingdom of the netherlands, and in all nations where a trend is bachelor from 2022 there is a difference of at to the lowest degree 40 percentage points.

Every bit is the instance with views of the Us equally a whole, conviction in U.S. presidents has shifted dramatically over the past ii decades, especially in Western Europe. In Germany, the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, Spain and French republic – four nations Pew Enquiry Centre has surveyed consistently – ratings for Bush and Trump were similarly low during their presidencies, while this year confidence in Biden is fairly similar to the ratings Obama received while in office.

Chart shows western Europeans' confidence in U.S. president surges as Biden enters office
Chart shows Biden gets higher ratings than Trump on personal, leadership traits

Biden's high ratings are tied in role to positive assessments of his personal characteristics, and hither again the contrast with Trump is stark. Looking at 12 countries polled during the outset yr of both their presidencies, a median of 77% describe Biden as well-qualified to exist president, compared with 16% who felt this way about Trump. Few think of Biden as arrogant or dangerous, while large majorities applied those terms to Trump. Assessments of the ii leaders are more than similar when it comes to being a potent leader, although even on this measure, Biden gets much more than positive reviews than his predecessor.

Chart shows Biden's approach to global climate agreements significantly more popular than Trump's

High levels of confidence in Biden are besides tied to favorable views of his policies, several of which have emphasized multilateralism and reversed Trump administration decisions. The current survey examines attitudes toward iv of the Biden administration's fundamental policies and finds widespread back up for all four.

A median of 89% beyond the 16 publics surveyed approve of the U.S. rejoining the World Health Organisation (WHO), which the U.Southward. withdrew from during Trump'southward presidency. A median of 85% as well support the U.S. rejoining the Paris climate agreement. Trump's withdrawal from the Paris agreement was met with widespread criticism, and it was overwhelmingly unpopular in the surveys the Center conducted during his presidency. For example, in 2022 just viii% in France canonical of Trump'south plans to withdraw support for international climate change agreements, compared with 91% who now back Biden's reentry into the agreement.

Support for the Biden administration'southward proposal to organize a height of democracies from effectually the world is also widespread, with a median of 85% maxim they approve. There is only slightly less support (a median of 76%) for Biden's plan to allow more refugees into the U.South. (Biden campaigned on allowing more than refugees into the country, briefly reversed his initial goal to raise the refugee cap from levels set by the Trump administration, and and so walked dorsum the reversal amid criticism.)

Biden has also fabricated articulate that he plans to strengthen America's commitment to the NATO alliance. Every bit the current poll shows, NATO is viewed positively by the member states included in the survey. (See "NATO continues to be seen in a favorable calorie-free by people in member states" for more than.)

Although Biden's more multilateral arroyo to foreign policy is welcomed, there is however a widespread perception that the U.S. mainly looks after its ain interests in earth affairs. More than half in most of the publics surveyed say the U.S. does non take their interests into account when it is making foreign policy decisions, although fewer experience this way in Japan, Greece and Germany.

Doubts about the U.S. considering the interests of other countries predate the Trump administration, and this has been the prevailing view – even among close U.S. allies – since the Center began request the question in 2002.

Chart shows over the past two decades, few in Western Europe have felt the U.S. considers their interests
Chart shows most say the U.S. is a somewhat reliable partner but no longer see it as a model democracy

Despite widely reported bilateral and multilateral tensions between the U.S. and many of its major allies and partners over the final iv years, relatively few people describe the U.South. as an "unreliable partner." But neither do they express slap-up conviction in the U.S. as an ally. Across the sixteen publics polled, a median of 56% say the U.S. is somewhat reliable, while just eleven% draw America as very reliable.

In addition to the concerns some accept about how America engages with other nations, there are too concerns about domestic politics in the U.S. The 16 publics surveyed are divided in their views about how well the U.South. political arrangement is performance, with a median of merely 5o% saying information technology is working well.

And few believe American republic, at least in its current state, serves equally a skilful model for other nations. A median of simply 17% say democracy in the U.South. is a adept instance for others to follow, while 57% say it used to exist a adept instance but has not been in recent years. Another 23% do not believe it has ever been a good example.

Chart shows despite large gains over Trump, Biden still trails Merkel in confidence ratings

One of the reasons for the low ratings the U.Southward. received in 2022 was the widespread perception that it was handling the global pandemic poorly. In the current poll, the U.South. gets significantly more positive marks for how it is handling COVID-19, simply most nevertheless say the U.S. has done a bad job of dealing with the outbreak (for more, run into "Global views of how U.S. has handled pandemic have improved, but few say it's done a skilful job").

In his showtime overseas trip every bit president, Biden is preparing to attend the G7 elevation in the UK and the NATO summit in Brussels. One time at that place, he will meet with two other leaders widely trusted for their handling of world affairs.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel actually receives slightly higher ratings than Biden: A median of 77% across the 16 publics surveyed limited confidence in Merkel's international leadership. A smaller median of 63% voice confidence in French President Emmanuel Macron.

Relatively few trust Russian President Vladimir Putin to do the right matter in earth diplomacy, while Chinese President Xi Jinping has the lowest ratings on the survey.

These are amid the major findings from a Pew Research Center survey conducted among 16,254 respondents in 16 publics – not including the U.S. – from March 12 to May 26, 2021. The survey also finds that views toward the U.Southward. and President Biden oft differ by ideology and age.

Spotlight: How views of the U.S. vary with political ideology and historic period

Ideology

In many of the publics surveyed, ideological orientation plays a role in how people view the U.Due south. and American democracy.

Chart shows views of the U.S. political system are less positive among those on the left
  • People who identify themselves on the right of the political spectrum are more probable to accept a positive view of the U.S. in nigh every country where ideology is measured. And this general blueprint has not changed much over time, with those on the right holding a more favorable view of the U.Due south. during the Trump and Obama administrations as well.
  • In 11 countries, people on the right are more probable than those on the left to say democracy in the U.S. is a good instance for other countries to follow. And in a similar set of countries, they are likewise more probable to call up the U.S. political system works well.
  • Overall, majorities on the left, center and right of the political spectrum approve of the policies included in the survey. Withal, Biden's decision to allow more refugees into the U.S. is incomparably more popular among people on the left. In most half the countries, those on the left are also more probable to approve of the U.S. rejoining the World Health System.

Age

In general, favorable views of the U.S. do non vary based on age in Europe or the Asia-Pacific region. But age is a factor when it comes to confidence in the U.S. president and other globe leaders.

Chart shows younger adults are more likely to think that democracy in the U.S. has never been a good example
  • Beyond nigh places surveyed, adults ages 65 and older are significantly more likely than those ages 18 to 29 to have conviction in Biden to do the right things in world diplomacy. Trust in Biden is so high overall, however, that at least half in all age groups concord this view.
  • Older adults also have more confidence in Merkel in half of the surveyed areas. Trust in Putin shows the opposite pattern, with younger adults more likely to accept confidence in the Russian president in most of the publics surveyed.
  • Adults nether xxx also deviate from older adults in their views of American democracy. In virtually one-half of the publics surveyed, younger adults are more probable to think democracy in the U.S. has never been a good model for other countries to follow.

Favorable views of the U.S. have rebounded

In every identify surveyed except New Zealand, around half or more have a favorable opinion of the U.Southward. Ratings are highest in Republic of korea, where 77% have positive views of the U.S., and around two-thirds or more in Japan, France and the UK say the same.

Chart shows most have positive views of the U.S.

These broadly positive views reflect a precipitous uptick since last summer, when ratings of the U.S. were at or near celebrated lows in well-nigh countries. For example, in Belgium, where only a quarter had favorable views of the U.S. terminal year, a 56% bulk say the same today.

In France, the Uk and Deutschland, positive views have increased even since this past November and December. Surveys in these three countries institute tepid views of the U.Due south. last December – later on major media outlets had chosen the election for now-President Joe Biden but before his inauguration and the vehement storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. six by a mob of Trump's supporters. Evaluations ranged from xl% favorable in Deutschland to 51% in the Great britain. Today, positive views have increased by double digits in all three countries, with around half dozen-in-ten or more in each of these countries now proverb they view the U.S. favorably.

Chart shows favorability of the U.S. is up sharply since 2020

In many places, favorable views of the U.S. accept at present rebounded to roughly the same levels that were seen toward the end of President Obama's second term. Take French republic as an case: The share who accept positive views of the U.S. has more than than doubled since last year, from 31% – a record low – to 65%, which is comparable to the 63% who had favorable views of the U.S. at the end of the Obama administration.

Chart shows views of U.S. rebound to Obama-era levels in key European allies

Views of American democracy and strange policy both factor into how people feel well-nigh the U.S. For example, those who think the U.S. political system is working well and those who think American democracy is a proficient example for other countries to follow are much more likely to have favorable views of the U.S. Similarly, those who think the U.S. is a reliable partner and who think the U.S. takes other countries' interests into business relationship also accept more than positive views of the superpower. And people who believe the U.Southward. is doing a expert job of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic are more than likely to express a positive view of the country.

Some concerns about functioning of U.S. republic

Chart shows differing views on how well American political system works

Majorities in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Sweden and holland are skeptical of how the U.S. political system functions. On the flip side, majorities in Republic of korea, Greece, Italy, Japan, Taiwan and Spain express at to the lowest degree some confidence in the American organisation of government.

However, even among publics where majorities think the U.S. political organization works at least somewhat well, this confidence is lukewarm: At most, nigh a fifth say the American political organisation functions very well. In near places surveyed, the share who say this is smaller than one-in-ten.

While attitudes are mixed about how well the U.S. political system functions, publics in the advanced economies surveyed are largely skeptical that democracy in the U.Due south. is a good case for other countries to follow. Across all publics surveyed, no more than than virtually three-in-ten say the U.S. is currently setting a good example of democratic values.

Chart shows most believe the U.S. is no longer a good model of democracy

Rather, majorities or pluralities say American democracy used to be a skillful example merely has non been in contempo years, and upward to about a quarter reject the thought that the U.S. has ever been a good model of democracy.

Just about a third say the U.S. considers their interests in foreign policy

Despite the sharp uptick in favorable views of the U.S. and its president in 2021, most people surveyed continue to say the U.Southward. doesn't take into account the interests of publics like theirs when making international policy decisions. Across the 16 publics, a median of 67% say the U.S. does not take their interests into account too much or at all, while simply 34% say Washington considers their interests a keen bargain or fair amount.

Chart shows few think the U.S. considers their interests when making foreign policy decisions

Across the European countries surveyed, there is a fair corporeality of variation in this assessment. Every bit few equally 16% in Sweden say the U.Due south. considers Sweden's interests when making foreign policy, but roughly half or more in Greece and Germany do. In Germany, this represents a 32 percentage point increase since 2018, when this question was last asked. Despite this uptick, replicated across many of the European nations surveyed in both years, majorities in the region say the U.S. does not consider their interests when making foreign policy decisions.

Asian-Pacific publics besides tend to say Washington discounts their interests, including 85% among New Zealanders. Effectually seven-in-x in Australia and South Korea, as well as 54% in Singapore, concur that the U.South. does not consider their interests when making strange policy.

In Taiwan, which has a complicated unofficial relationship with the U.S., 51% say the U.Southward. does not consider their interests, while 44% say it does. Among Japanese adults, opinions are nearly equally divided between people who say the U.S. takes their views into account when making foreign policy and those that say the U.S. does not. (During the survey fielding, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga visited the U.S., attending what was Biden's first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since he became president.)

Chart shows in many countries, more now say the U.S. considers their interests; still, relatively few hold this view

At that place have been significant increases in the shares maxim the U.S. considers their interests when making foreign policy since the question was last asked during the Trump presidency. In add-on to the jump in Germany, there have been double-digit increases in such sentiment in Greece, the netherlands, Japan, Canada, French republic, the UK and Spain. In Hellenic republic and Canada, this is the highest such reading in a Pew Research Center survey, even compared with the Obama era.

Yet, the predominant sentiment, going back to 2002 when the question was showtime asked, is that the U.S. does not consider the interests of countries like theirs. The election of Joe Biden has not fundamentally changed that.

Most say that the U.S. is a somewhat reliable partner

Chart shows U.S. is seen as a reliable partner by most across 16 publics

Across the 16 publics surveyed, majorities or pluralities say the U.Southward. is a somewhat reliable partner. But in no public surveyed do more than two-in-x say that the U.Due south. is a very reliable partner.

At the same time, fewer than four-in ten say the U.S. is a not too reliable partner, and in no public do more than than one-in-seven say that the U.Southward. is a not at all reliable partner.

The sentiment that the U.S. is a very or somewhat reliable partner is highest in the Netherlands (fourscore%), Commonwealth of australia (75%) and Nippon (75%). But 44% in Taiwan and 43% in Hellenic republic say the U.Southward. is not too or not at all reliable.

Nearly all say relations with U.S. will stay the same or get improve over the next few years

Chart shows people expect relations with the U.S. to stay the same or get better over the next few years

When asked whether relations with the U.S. volition get improve, worse or stay the aforementioned over the side by side few years, a median of 57% across the 16 publics say they volition stay the same. While a continuation of current relations with the U.S. is the near common response, a median of 39% say relations will get better and simply 5% say they volition go worse.

The merely place where a majority thinks relations with the U.S. will get better is Germany (sixty% say this), where attitudes about the transatlantic alliance have become increasingly pessimistic in recent years. Half of Canadians also say relations with their southern neighbor will get better over the adjacent few years.

In 2017, when this question was asked specifically about then-newly elected President Trump and his effect on bilateral relations, the most common answer was as well that they would remain the same. Simply back and then, few said that relations with the U.S. would meliorate nether Trump, and pregnant portions of the population thought they would deteriorate, including 56% in Germany who said this.

High confidence in Biden across Europe, Asia-Pacific

In the first twelvemonth of his presidency, Biden enjoys positive ratings from majorities in each of the publics surveyed. Overall, a median of 74% have confidence in the U.Southward. president to practise the correct thing in world affairs.

Most have confidence in Biden to do the right thing internationally

Confidence is peculiarly high in the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Federal republic of germany and Canada, where about eight-in-ten or more than trust Biden when it comes to international diplomacy. He receives his lowest ratings in Hellenic republic, South korea and Taiwan, though more than six-in-10 in each trust his handling of world diplomacy.

Widespread confidence in Biden contrasts starkly with views of his predecessor. Trust in the U.S. president was historically low in most countries surveyed during Trump's presidency. In many cases, still, the share who take confidence in Biden is not as high as the share who had confidence in Obama at the starting time or finish of his presidency.

Deutschland is a good example of this pattern. In 2020, only x% of Germans had confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs (matching a previous all-fourth dimension depression earlier in Trump'south presidency). Once Biden took part, conviction in the U.S. president increased by 68 percent points in Germany, but it is still lower there than the all-time loftier of 93% in 2009, Obama's first year in office. A like trend tin can exist seen in Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Canada, Australia, Republic of korea and Japan.

Chart shows confidence in U.S. presidents

Still, in Greece, conviction in the U.Southward. president is the highest information technology has been since Pew Enquiry Heart starting time asked this question there. A much higher share of Greeks have confidence in Biden compared with Obama in 2022 and earlier. Notably, Biden has shared a positive relationship with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Greeks are more twice every bit probable at present to say the U.S. takes their country'south interests into account when making policy decisions (53%) than they were when Obama was president (20% in 2013).

Biden more than trusted than Putin and Xi, less trusted than Merkel

Publics express much more than confidence in Biden than in Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Eleven Jinping. Biden too fares well in comparison with French President Emmanuel Macron, simply his ratings tend to trail those of German language Chancellor Angela Merkel.

A median of 77% have confidence in Merkel to do the right matter in world affairs. She receives somewhat college ratings in the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, French republic, New Zealand and Australia than in her home country, though a large majority of Germans notwithstanding express confidence in the chancellor. Of the 16 publics surveyed, Hellenic republic is the only one where fewer than half hold this view. Faith in Merkel has also increased since the summer of 2022 in half dozen of the 12 countries where data is available for both years.

Chart shows Biden, Merkel and Macron score high in confidence relative to Putin and Xi

A median of 63% have confidence in Macron when it comes to his treatment of world affairs. Roughly eight-in-ten or more than hold this view in Greece and Sweden. Every bit with Merkel, Macron'due south ratings in his home country are positive, but more subdued than in other publics; 53% of people in French republic trust the French president to do what is right in international affairs.

Medians of merely around one-in-v limited conviction in Putin or Xi. Singapore and Hellenic republic are the only countries where more than than half trust either president; 55% in both Greece and Singapore say they have confidence in Putin, and lxx% in Singapore say the same of Xi.

Ratings for the Chinese president accept been consistently low in many countries, particularly beyond the Western European nations surveyed, since this question was first asked in 2014. Opinion of Putin in these countries extends back even further and shows a similarly negative pattern at that place.

Biden seen as well-qualified to be president

Reflecting high levels of confidence in the U.Southward. president, overwhelming majorities say Biden is well-qualified for the position, and many encounter him as a potent leader. Very few view Biden every bit either dangerous or arrogant. And in most cases, these views are in stark contrast to views of his predecessor.

A median of 77% remember Biden is well-qualified for his role as president, ranging from 64% in Japan to 84% in Sweden. Amid many of these same publics polled in 2017, but a tertiary or fewer saw Trump every bit well-qualified.

Chart shows widespread view that Biden is well-qualified to be president, and many see him as a strong leader

The gap between perceptions of the two American presidents is especially wide in Sweden and Germany. Only 10% of Swedes thought Trump was well-qualified to be president during his beginning year in office. In the current survey, 84% see Biden every bit qualified, a 74 percent point difference. Amidst Germans, half dozen% thought Trump was well-qualified, compared with viii-in-10 who say the same of Biden this twelvemonth.

A deviation of roughly 50 points or more on this question appears in almost every country where data is bachelor for both leaders.

Biden and Trump are viewed the most similarly when it comes to perceptions of them as potent leaders. In 2017, relatively large shares saw Trump as a strong leader, even in countries where few had confidence in him to do the correct thing in world affairs. In countries where data is available for both leaders, more people tend to see Biden every bit a potent leader, but in several countries, the difference is comparatively small.

Very few people across the publics surveyed call back Biden could exist described every bit dangerous (median of 14%) or big-headed (median of 13%). This is a striking departure from how Trump was viewed early in his presidency.

Chart shows few see Biden as arrogant or dangerous, in contrast to his predecessor

For instance, in that location is an 83-bespeak deviation in the Netherlands between those who viewed Trump as arrogant (92%) and those who currently say the same about Biden (9%). Differences of roughly lxxx points or more on this question can also exist seen in France, Sweden, Spain, Germany and Canada.

Similarly, majorities in each state saw Trump equally dangerous in 2017, while no more than than 21% hold this view of Biden, resulting in differences of roughly 40 points or more in countries where data is available for both leaders.

The Biden administration'south foreign policies included on the survey enjoy widespread popularity. Of the four policies tested, the United States' reentry into the Earth Health Organization (WHO) garners the most approving, with a median of 89% saying they support the motion. Back up for this policy is most prevalent in Europe, where shares ranging from 86% to 94% approve of the U.Due south. returning to the organization. The move is also broadly popular in Canada and the Asia-Pacific.

Chart shows Biden's foreign policy agenda met with widespread approval among 16 publics

Biden's decision to recommit to the Paris climate understanding is besides very well received. A median of 85% approve of the U.S. rejoining the accord. Across Europe, near nine-in-ten or more across six countries polled favor the motility, with respondents in the Netherlands, Frg and the Great britain following closely backside. Shares of roughly eight-in-ten or greater are also supportive in Canada and the Asia-Pacific region.

Rejoining the accordance represents a reversal from former President Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement, a motility that was met with widespread disapproval when Pew Research Centre asked nigh it in 2017.

In all countries the Center surveyed both this year and iv years ago, Biden'due south approach is considerably more popular than Trump's. For instance, in Espana, simply 8% approved of Trump withdrawing support for international climate agreements in 2017, while 93% corroborate of the U.South. rejoining the Paris agreement this year, an 85 per centum point difference. In every land, rejoining the understanding is met with approval from shares at least four times as large as the shares who supported leaving information technology.

In add-on to Biden's reversal of Trump-era withdrawals from international organizations and pacts, his plans for the U.S. to host a summit of democratic nations earns widespread approving. Beyond the 16 publics polled, a median of 85% express support for the convening, and in each, eight-in-ten or more say they favor the plan.

Attitudes toward this policy among several publics are divided by views of American commonwealth. Amidst most publics surveyed, those who think the U.S. is a skillful example of democracy for other countries to follow support the superlative more than those who think the U.S. has never been a good example. For instance, in Sweden, 91% of those who think the U.S. is currently setting a proficient example of democratic values approve of the U.S. convening leaders from other democracies, compared with 71% of those who doubt the U.S. has ever set a practiced example of commonwealth, a 20-point difference.

Those who view the U.S. every bit a reliable partner are more likely to approve of the U.S. hosting a height of democratic nations in 13 of the publics surveyed. For example, in Germany, 89% of those who think the U.S. is a reliable partner approve of this policy, whereas just 68% of those who view the U.Due south. as unreliable agree, a 21-point difference.

Approval of Biden'southward plan to increment the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. is also widespread. A median of virtually three-quarters support the change, and nowhere do fewer than half-dozen-in-ten agree with the decision. This comes as Biden reversed his initial goal to heighten the refugee cap in the U.South. from the levels set by the Trump administration, but and so walked back the reversal amid criticism.