Daily Times

NEW YORK: The image of the United States is in sharp decline across the world under the leadership of Donald Trump, according to a new American surveyon Thursday.

Conducted by the Pew Research Centre, the survey covering 37 countries showed US favourability ratings dropping to 49 percent just five months into Trump’s presidency. This compares with 64 percent at the end of his predecessor Barack Obama’s 8-year term in office.

Just 22 percent have confidence in President Trump to do the right thing when it comes to international affairs, it said. The falls were much larger in some of America’s closest allies, including US neighbours Canada and Mexico, and European partners like Germany and Spain.

“The drop in favourability ratings for the United States is widespread,” the Pew report said that. “The share of the public with a positive view of the US has plummeted in a diverse set of countries from Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.”

In many countries, the US ratings were comparable to those seen at the end of the presidency of George W. Bush, whose invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan was deeply unpopular.

In France, Germany, Britain and Spain, the low levels of confidence in Trump are very similar to the poor ratings for Bush in 2008. Globally, the study said, 75 percent of respondents described Trump as “arrogant”, 65 percent as “intolerant” and 62 percent as “dangerous.”

The survey showed widespread disapproval of Trump’s signature policy proposals, with 76 percent unhappy with his plan to build the wall on the border with Mexico, 72 percent against his withdrawal from major trade agreements and 62 percent opposed to his plans to restrict travel to the US from some majority-Muslim countries.