Kathrine Frich
While America’s reputation has dipped, China has seen a steady rise in its global perception.
While America’s reputation has dipped, China has seen a steady rise in its global perception.
The United States has suffered a dramatic dip in global approval following Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, according to the 2025 Democracy Perception Index.
The wide-reaching survey of over 110,000 people across 100 countries shows that America’s reputation is plummeting, especially in Europe.
Democracy Index Reveals Growing Distrust in U.S. Leadership
The Democracy Perception Index, conducted between April 9 and 23, polls global attitudes on democratic values and leadership.
This year’s findings show a widespread erosion of trust in American institutions and leadership under Trump, especially when compared to global competitors.
Trump Now Less Popular Than Putin and Xi, Survey Finds
In a striking result, President Donald Trump ranked lower in global popularity than both Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping.
The survey lists Trump as the least liked political figure among all leaders included, outscored by even Elon Musk and Taylor Swift.
European Trust in the U.S. Hits a New Low
Trump’s ongoing clashes with the European Union, whom he recently called “pathetic” and “designed to deceive the U.S.”, have fueled a steep drop in trust among America’s European allies.
Respondents in EU countries now rate the U.S. less favorably than ever.
China Overtakes the U.S. in Global Standing
While America’s reputation has dipped, China has seen a steady rise in its global perception.
For the first time, the country outperformed the U.S. in positive sentiment across all world regions except Europe according to the DPI.
Russia’s Image Recovers Slightly After Ukraine Fallout
Although Russia remains globally unpopular due to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, its image has slightly improved in some regions.
Surprisingly, the U.S. is now only narrowly ahead of Russia in overall perception.
Trump’s Popularity Nosedives Across the World
Trump’s personal ratings mirror his country’s decline.
The DPI ranked him lower than major global figures in politics, business, and pop culture including Pope Francis, Bill Gates, and even Kim Kardashian.
Israel Ranks Lowest in Global Reputation
Israel received the lowest marks in the survey, driven by strong disapproval in the Middle East and South Asia.
The ICC’s 2024 arrest warrants for Israeli leaders have further damaged the country’s international standing, even among traditional European allies.
What Is the Democracy Perception Index?
The Democracy Perception Index, a project by the Alliance of Democracies and Nira Data, is the largest global study of attitudes toward democracy, governance, and geopolitical trust.
This year’s edition included 111,273 respondents from 100 countries.