Do Canadians approve of US leadership? Findings from poll break 17-year record

The share of Canadians who approve of American leadership has fallen to an all-time low, according to a new Gallup survey. As a result, Canadians now view the U.S. government as comparable to Russia’s — and even less favorably than China’s, the poll said.

The poll — conducted May-June with about 1,000 Canadian adults — comes amid a period of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Canada, fueled by President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and policies.

Soon after returning to the White House, Trump began calling for the U.S. to annex Canada — a longtime ally and trading partner — and make it the “51st state.” And, amid his global tariff push, he ordered a 35% levy on Canadian goods.

In response, Prime Minister Mark Carney has held firm, telling Trump “Canada is not for sale” and placing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including meat, dairy products and alcohol. Many Canadians have also boycotted travel to the U.S.

Here is a breakdown of the poll results.

Canadian views of US

In the Gallup survey, just 15% of respondents said they approve of the job performance of American leaders. This is the lowest such rating recorded since 2008, the first year that data is available.

In contrast, the overwhelming majority of respondents, 79%, said they disapprove of U.S. leadership.

Over the past two decades, Canadian approval of American leadership has varied widely, rising and falling depending on who is in the White House.

In 2008 — the last year of President George W. Bush’s second term — just 22% of Canadians said they approved of U.S. leadership. When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, this figure shot up to 63%. It remained in the 50s and 60s for the next eight years.

Then, In 2017, Trump’s first year in office, the approval rating dropped to 20%. It saw a moderate increase during President Joe Biden’s term before plunging 22 points from 37% in 2024 to just 15% in 2025.

This 15% approval rating — paired with a 79% disapproval rating — now puts the U.S. closer to Russia in terms of how it is perceived by Canadians. Slightly more Canadians, 82%, said they disapprove of Russian leadership, while 9% said they approve.

China, meanwhile, is viewed more favorably, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points. A smaller majority, 64%, said they disapprove of the leadership in Beijing, while 23% said they approve.

Only one country’s leadership received the backing of a majority of Canadians: Germany. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they approve of the job performance of the leadership in Berlin, while 19% said they disapprove.

This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Do Canadians approve of US leadership? Findings from poll break 17-year record."