WASHINGTON, Jan 8 — President Donald Trump is viewed negatively by the public in many countries, but the image of the US itself is generally favourable, according to a survey published today by the Pew Research Center.

Sixty-four per cent of those surveyed outside the US said they do not have confidence in Trump to do the right thing in foreign affairs, while just 29 per cent expressed confidence in the US leader.

The survey looked at public opinion in 33 nations and was conducted among 37,000 people between May and October 2019.

Trump is viewed particularly poorly in Western Europe, Pew said.

Only 13 per cent of those polled in Germany said they had confidence in Trump, 18 per cent in Sweden, 20 per cent in France, 21 per cent in Spain, 25 per cent in the Netherlands and Greece and 32 per cent in Britain.

In Russia, 20 per cent said they have confidence in the US president to do the right thing in world affairs.

In Mexico, 89 per cent do not have confidence in Trump, Pew said.

In some countries, the public did express support for Trump: India (56 per cent), Nigeria (58 per cent), Kenya (65 per cent), Israel (71 per cent) and the Philippines (77 per cent).

There was overall disapproval, however, of some of Trump’s signature foreign policy initiatives.

Researchers used the median — the middle value in any list of numbers — to summarise non-US opinion on Trump’s performance.

A median of 68 per cent opposed his imposition of tariffs, 66 per cent opposed the withdrawal from climate change agreements and 60 per cent were against the US-Mexico border wall.

Trump’s direct negotiations with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un met with 41 per cent support and 36 per cent disapproval.

Pew also asked respondents for their views on other world leaders.

Germany’s Angela Merkel received top marks with 46 per cent expressing confidence in her leadership, followed by France’s Emmanuel Macron (41 per cent), Russia’s Vladimir Putin (33 per cent) and China’s Xi Jinping (28 per cent).

Overall attitudes towards the United States, however, were favourable, Pew said.

The most positive reviews in Europe came from Poland, where 79 per cent said they have a favourable attitude towards the United States, followed by Lithuania (70 per cent) and Hungary (66 per cent).

The lowest ratings for the United States in Europe came from the Netherlands (46 per cent), Sweden (45 per cent) and Germany (39 per cent). — AFP