Which Country Do People around the World View as the Top Global Power?

Since his election, President Donald Trump has pushed an "America First" policy, pulling the United States out of global alliances on trade, the environment, and defense. And people around the world seem to have had strong reactions to these policies. The results of a new Gallup poll, published in January 2018, indicate that the world no longer sees the U.S. as the top power in global leadership. The poll, which surveyed people in 134 countries, gave the United States a tepid 30 percent approval rating, behind Germany and China.

What a difference a year makes:

• Germany was seen as the top global leader by 41 percent of those polled, followed by China at 31 percent. Russia scored a 27 percent approval rating for its global role.
• Gallup says that the world’s perception of U.S. leadership is at its lowest level since the poll began more than 10 years ago. The poll gave the U.S. a 48 percent approval rating during Barack Obama’s final year in office.
• In about half of the world’s countries, America’s standing collapsed by 10 percentage points or more. Some of the biggest defections: allies in Western Europe, Australia, and Latin America.