Support for Trump remains low worldwide, survey finds

Support for U.S. President Donald Trump remains largely negative around the world, a new survey finds.

The survey by the Washington-based Pew Research Centre found that across the 33 countries surveyed a median of 64 per cent say they do not have confidence in Trump to do the right thing.

Only 29 per cent expressed confidence in the U.S. president.

Trump received more negative ratings than Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel received the highest ratings of the five world leaders polled – 46 per cent expressed confidence in her leadership of world affairs – beating out France’s Emmanuel Macron.

The survey, which polled nearly 37,000 people, found anti-Trump sentiment strongest in Western Europe, where Trump has upended relationships with traditional U.S. allies.

In Germany, Sweden, France, Spain, and the Netherlands roughly three-in-four lack confidence in Trump. Mexicans also overwhelmingly oppose the president.

The survey was notably conducted from May to October 2019, before Trump was impeached by the House in December and before he ordered the killing of a top Iranian general.

Trump has a base of strong support in the Philippines, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, and India, the survey found.

Trump’s foreign policies, including moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, increasing import tariffs and pulling out of the Paris climate accords are largely opposed.

Of all the president’s policies, his direct negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are the most popular garnering a 41 percent approval rating.