Where are Biden and Trump supported in the world? What poll of 34 countries found

Throughout the world, President Joe Biden is seen more positively than former President Donald Trump — though there are exceptions in some countries, according to new polling.

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 34 countries found that 43% of respondents have confidence in Biden “to do the right thing regarding world affairs,” while 28% said the same for Trump.

The survey, conducted from Jan. 5 to May 21, sampled 40,566 people. Among the countries included were the U.K., France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, India and Nigeria.

Biden vs. Trump

A statistically significant percentage of respondents in the majority of countries, 24, rated Biden higher than Trump, and the disparity in the two presidents’ ratings was particularly pronounced in Europe.

In Germany and Sweden, 63% of respondents expressed confidence in Biden to do the right thing, while only 15% and 14%, respectively, had confidence in Trump.

Similarly, in Poland, 70% of respondents expressed confidence in Biden, while 28% signaled confidence in Trump.

Biden received his highest marks in the Philippines and Kenya, where 77% and 75% of respondents, respectively, expressed confidence in him.

However, Biden didn’t surpass Trump in every country surveyed.

In eight countries, there was no statistical difference between the two presidents’ ratings. These countries included Israel, India and Turkey.

And in two countries — Hungary and Tunisia — Trump received higher ratings than Biden.

In Hungary — where Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a staunch ally of Trump — 37% of respondents expressed confidence in Trump to do the right thing, while 24% said the same for Biden.

And in Tunisia, 17% of respondents signaled their confidence in Trump, while just 7% said the same for Biden.

Biden’s ratings

Although Biden is viewed more favorably than Trump, his own ratings have slipped since last year in two-thirds of countries where data was available.

Ratings for “the current U.S. president” have declined by double digits in the U.K., Australia, Israel, Japan, Poland, Spain, Sweden and South Africa.

When asked about how Biden is handling specific international issues, responses were mixed.

On climate change and global economic problems, respondents were split down the middle, with 43% saying they approve and 44% saying they disapproved.

Similarly, 39% of respondents said they approved Biden’s handling of China, while 45% disapproved.

Disapproval ratings were highest for Biden’s handling of foreign wars.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents disapproved of Biden’s approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict, while 31% approved. And 50% of respondents disapproved of Biden’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, while 39% approved.

Views of the U.S.

The survey also asked respondents for their views on the U.S. and its style of democracy.

Attitudes towards the U.S. were largely positive, the survey found, with a median of 54% of respondents expressing a favorable view and 31% having a negative view.

Responses were more negative when respondents were asked whether American democracy is a good example for other countries to follow.

Only 21% of respondents said the U.S. was a good example to follow, while a plurality of respondents, 40%, said the U.S. “used to be a good example but has not been in recent years.”

Twenty-two percent said the U.S. “has never been a good example.”

This story was originally published June 12, 2024 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Where are Biden and Trump supported in the world? What poll of 34 countries found."