A new global survey reveals that Israelis have one of the most favorable views of the United States, particularly under President Donald Trump, even as the U.S.'s global image has declined
sharply since Trump returned to office.
According to the Pew Research Center, favorable views of the U.S. dropped in 15 of the 24 countries surveyed compared to last year. However, Israel stood out: 83% of Israelis now view the U.S. positively—an increase of 6% from the previous year—largely due to continued American support during the conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
When it comes to confidence in Trump’s handling of foreign policy, Israel ranked among the top globally, with 69% expressing trust—second only to Nigeria at 79%.
However, the survey revealed stark ideological and ethnic divides within Israel. Among right-wing Israelis, 93% expressed confidence in Trump, compared to just 21% on the left. Similarly, 73% of Jewish Israelis said they trusted Trump, versus only 26% of Arab Israelis.
Overall, 62% of Israelis believed Trump is managing the Israeli-Arab conflict effectively. The only major area of doubt was climate change, where just 36% thought Trump was handling it well.
On qualifications, 71% of Israelis believed Trump is fit to be president and capable of tackling complex problems—higher than any country except Nigeria.
Other global leaders fared poorly in Israeli opinion: just 22% had confidence in French President Emmanuel Macron (lower than any country except Turkey), and only 9% trusted Chinese President Xi Jinping (lower than all but Japan). Russian President Vladimir Putin received just 10% approval on foreign policy from Israelis.
Worldwide Sentiment Toward Trump Dims
In contrast to Israel, Trump’s return has damaged the U.S.'s reputation in many parts of the world.
His lowest approval came from Mexico, where 91% of people said they lacked confidence in his handling of global affairs. In both Mexico and Canada—where Trump once suggested Canada become the 51st U.S. state—approval of the U.S. dropped sharply from when President Joe Biden was in office.
In Europe, views also turned more negative, particularly in Poland, which had been a strong U.S. ally under Biden. The shift comes as Trump scales back support for Ukraine and pushes for a deal with Russia. In Sweden, which joined NATO during Biden’s presidency, 79% now view the U.S. unfavorably—the worst rating among all countries surveyed.
Across the board, majorities disagreed with Trump’s key foreign policies, especially regarding Ukraine, Gaza, immigration, and climate change. About 80% of respondents described Trump as arrogant, and only 28% believed he was honest.
Not as Unpopular as Before
Despite the negativity, Trump’s global image is not as bad as it was during his first term in 2017. Back then, he succeeded Barack Obama, who remained extremely popular worldwide. Now, Trump follows Biden, whose approval ratings on economic issues were similarly low in global comparisons.
Support for the U.S. remains high in countries like Nigeria and Kenya, which traditionally favor America regardless of the president. In India, views of the U.S. remained stable, with more than half expressing favorable opinions.
The rise of right-wing populist politics has also played a role in shifting attitudes. In Brazil—once led by Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro—34% now express confidence in Trump, up from just 14% during his first term.
Globally, Trump tends to receive more support from men than women, and from politically conservative individuals. However, even in countries like France and Sweden, Trump failed to win majority approval—even among far-right party supporters—though they were more favorable than the general population.
The Pew survey was conducted between January and April 2025 and included 28,333 adults across 24 countries. Photo by Eurovaran, Wikimedia commons.