Donald Trump is less popular on the world stage than his counterparts in Russia and China, according to new data. The US President's reputation has taken a beating following heavy tariffs and a chaotic approach to governance, as suggested by the 2025 Democracy Perception Index. The index, which compiles data to represent general attitudes towards democracy, geopolitics and world leaders, found that the majority of its 110,000-odd respondents had a negative view of Trump - with Vladimir Putin ranking higher in some opinion polls.
The data, sourced between April 9 and 23 from 100 countries around the globe with an average sample of 1,100 respondents from each nation, also showed China overtaking the US in global perception rankings for the first time - while Russia only clocked in as slightly less unpopular than America, following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and ongoing conflict in the region. Trump also recorded the worst score across a wide spectrum of political, cultural and spiritual leaders, according to Politico, falling behind Elon Musk, Bill Gates and the late Pope Francis. While 27% of the respondents said to have a positive perception of the US President, Putin and Xi both scored 32%.
Like its leader, the US also recorded a drop in global standing - with particularly negative perceptions from respondents in the European Union, after Trump labelled the political bloc "horrible" and "pathetic".
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO chief and founder of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, which coathored the index, said he was "not surprised that perceptions of the United States have fallen so sharply".
The US wasn't quite bottom of the pile, however - Israel was highlighted as the least popular country on the world stage, with an especially bad reputation in the Middle East and South Asia, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for leader Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Trump announced long-promised "reciprocal" tariffs of 10% to all US imports in April, including a 20% levy on EU imports and an initial 34% on Chinese goods on top of an existing 20% tax.
He has also threatened a 100% tariff on foreign-made films in a purported bid to save the US production industry and has rolled out levies on cars and auto parts and steel and aluminium.
The fluctuating numbers and consequent trade war has sent financial markets around the world tumbling, and caused a dip in the president's population on home turf as well as abroad.
Despite his once seemingly-unassailable support from a chunk of the US electorate, Trump's approval ratings dipped to historic lows as he passed the 100 day mark of his second term. His popularity with American voters plummeted to 41% at the end of April, according to CNN, the lowest of any newly-elected president in at least seven decades.
