Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin: Who do Indians have more confidence in to handle world affairs? Survey reveals…

Published 27 June 2026 · us

US President Donald Trump's global approval ratings remain weak, with 76% of respondents expressing no confidence in his leadership, according to a new survey by

US President Donald Trump's global approval ratings remain weak, with 76% of respondents expressing no confidence in his leadership, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. The survey, released on Tuesday, found that only 23% of those surveyed said they had confidence in Trump's ability to handle international affairs. As per PTI, the findings also showed that 51% of Indian respondents expressed confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin's ability to manage global affairs. Only 39% of Indians said they had confidence Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, according to Hindustan Times. The poll was conducted between February 8 and May 13, 2026, and included responses from 42,151 people across 36 countries. The decline in confidence in Trump among Indians Confidence in Trump's leadership declined in 16 of the 24 countries tracked and reportedly did not improve in any country.

51% of Indian respondents had expressed confidence in him in the previous year's survey. It also found that many Indians disapproved of Trump's approach to global tariffs, his handling of the situations in Venezuela and Iran, and the United States' restrictive immigration policies. Only 32% supported his immigration policies, while 17% approved of his handling of Venezuela and 28% backed his approach to Iran. Indian respondents also expressed limited support for Trump's decision to shut down international aid agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as for his handling of the war in the Gaza Strip and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The findings indicate a decline in Indian perceptions of the United States, ending nearly two decades of relatively consistent positive views. In 2005, two years after President George W.

Bush launched the widely criticised Iraq War, the United States recorded a favourability rating of 71% in India. How other nations view US, Trump Meanwhile, In Israel, 81% of respondents held a favourable view of the United States, while 66% said they had confidence in Trump to make the right decisions on global affairs. The Trump administration's tariff policy emerged as one of its least popular measures, with only 18% of respondents approving of it. By comparison, 32% viewed the administration's immigration policy positively. Also Read | Zelenskyy says Putin faces growing public dissatisfaction ahead of election Support for Trump's tariff policies remained low across several countries, with approval ratings of 27% in the United Kingdom, 17% in Canada, 15% in Japan, 14% in South Korea, 11% in Mexico and 8% in Germany. Kenya was the only country surveyed where a majority of respondents (55%) approved of Trump's handling of tariffs.