Key facts
- A Pew Research Centre study shows declining European confidence in Donald Trump and US reliability.
- More than 80% of citizens in Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Italy lack confidence in Trump's handling of world affairs.
- Confidence in Trump has dropped significantly in eight European countries since 2025, with notable declines in Greece and Italy.
- A median of 85% of respondents across 10 countries disapprove of Trump's handling of Greenland and tariffs.
- 78% of respondents across 10 countries disapprove of Trump's approach to the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
- Hungary and Poland are the only countries where a majority consider the US a dependable partner.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary of independence, a new study by the Pew Research Centre indicates a significant erosion of confidence among Europeans regarding President Donald Trump and the reliability of the US as a global partner. The findings reveal that majorities in key European nations, including Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Italy, lack confidence in Trump's ability to handle international affairs.
Confidence ratings for Trump have seen substantial declines in eight European countries since 2025, with Greece and Italy experiencing drops of 15 percentage points. While support for Trump is generally higher among those who favor right-wing populist parties, even this segment has shown reduced confidence. For example, support among supporters of the Greek Solution party fell by 29 percentage points between 2025 and 2026, and in Italy, confidence among Brothers of Italy supporters dropped from 49% in 2025 to 30% in the current year.
Furthermore, a median of 85% of respondents across ten surveyed countries, including France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Britain, disapprove of Trump's approach to issues such as Greenland and trade tariffs. Trump's past comments about acquiring Greenland and threats of military force, as well as his ongoing threats of tariffs on European countries implementing digital services taxes, are highlighted.
The study also indicates widespread disapproval of Trump's handling of the wars in Ukraine and Iran, with 78% of respondents across the ten countries expressing negative views. The perception of the US as a reliable partner has also diminished, with Hungary and Poland being the only nations where a majority still holds this view. In eight other countries, the share of respondents considering the US dependable has fallen by 28 to 52 percentage points since 2022.
Additionally, Europeans are less likely to believe that the US considers other countries' interests in its foreign policy decisions, with significant decreases observed in Germany and the UK. The study notes that current trans-Atlantic tensions are reminiscent of those experienced in the early and mid-2000s, a period also marked by significant international discord.