America’s image in much of the world is getting worse, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. That should be a concern for Americans. Our image affects our effectiveness as a world leader and our ability to advance our national interests.
The survey, conducted this year, found that people in other countries were almost evenly split in whether they had positive or negative views of the United States. However, the percentage with a negative view of America has grown in most nations in the survey.
From the end of World War II until early in the 21st Century and beyond, the U.S. was the undisputed world leader by most measures. We helped create and led the institutions of the postwar international order, which produced a sustained period of peace and prosperity. Certainly, there were times when our policies were unpopular or misguided. For the most part, however, we could think of America as a model that much of the world admired, especially our allies.
But things have shifted in recent years. When I meet with people from around the world, I find that they still care about the U.S. and are interested in what we think, but they are less likely to look to us as an example. The Pew Survey, which included 24 countries in all parts of the world, confirms that. The share of the population with a negative view of the U.S. has risen in almost every country. The number who view us positively has declined.
Our worst rating is in Sweden, where four in five people have a negative view. Elsewhere in Europe, including in France, Germany and Spain, over 60% have negative views of the U.S. The biggest shift from positive to negative in the past year came from our neighbors, Mexico and Canada. Our highest approval, 83%, is in Israel. Only in Israel, Nigeria and Turkey have views of the U.S. improved.
It’s concerning that majorities in 12 of the surveyed nations see China as the world’s leading economic power, compared to only eight nations for the U.S. We have the world’s largest economy, as measured by gross domestic product, but our economic image doesn’t reflect that reality. This comes at a time when China is pushing its state-controlled economy as a better model for the world than our free-market system. The same holds true for views of American democracy. According to the survey, people are split on whether democracy is working well in the United States. In many countries, including some European allies, majorities say it is functioning poorly.
Clearly, views of the U.S. reflect views of President Donald Trump. According to the survey, conservatives are now more likely than liberals to view the U.S. positively. But majorities lack confidence in Trump’s ability to handle world affairs, especially climate change and the Russia-Ukraine war. (It’s too early to say how bombing Iranian nuclear sites will affect America’s image in the long run).
Trump would no doubt argue that it doesn’t matter if people in other countries view the United States positively. He would say it’s more important that they respect us, and that he can make deals that favor the U.S. He has a point: Foreign affairs aren’t a popularity contest, and our leaders need to look out for America’s interests.
But most of us believe the United States should be a force for good in the world. We are the wealthiest and most powerful nation in history, and with that comes responsibility. Our 250-year experiment with democracy has inspired countless countries. It’s important that we live up to our national ideals and our professed belief in freedom, democracy and human rights. Surveys that find our image getting worse should be a warning.
Lee Hamilton is a distinguished scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies and senior advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.
