Global worry about the impact of Trump’s economic policies

Key findings:

• 61% on average, across 29 countries (and a majority in 23/29 of them) say Trump’s economic policies will have a negative effect on the global economy.
• 58% think the President’s economic policies will negatively affect their own country’s economy.
• 41%, on average, say his policies will be detrimental to their own personal financial situation.
• Across our 29 countries, 54% say Trump’s economic measures will have a negative impact on the relationship between their country and the US.
• 52%, on average, say the economic policies of the new administration will be bad for the US economy.

President Trump’s effect on the world, my country and me

Six in ten (61%) on average say the economic policies of US President Trump will have a negative impact on their global economy. Only 18% on average think the economic policies will be a boost to the global economy. In 28 of the 29 countries surveyed, people are more likely to think the ‘America First’ policy will have a negative effect on global trade. India is the only country more likely to support this agenda, with 40% saying it will have a positive impact, while 25% think it will be negative. Belief that it will negatively affect the global economy is highest in South Korea (78%) and Sweden (76%).

This worry about the impact of tariffs extends to how people feel it will impact their country’s economy. Across 28 countries (this question was not asked in the US), 58% feel Trump’s economic policies will have a negative impact. This concern is highest in South Korea (79%) and Canada (75%). Only 16% across 28 countries think the policies will be a boost to their country’s economy. India and Argentina are the only countries where people are more likely to think their economies will benefit rather than suffer.

When it comes to how people expect the President’s ‘America First’ agenda will affect their own finances, the proportion who feel it will have a negative impact is lower than on other questions (41%). However, very few think it will be positive (15%). Those who think they will suffer the most from the President’s economic policies are Canadians. Six in ten (60%) in Canada believe Trump’s policies will hurt their finances.

American attitudes to Trump’s economic policies

Even Americans do not fully support the ‘America First’ approach. Americans are more likely to think that the President’s economic policies will negatively affect their finances  than benefit them (41% to 33%). They also think it will have a negative impact on the US economy (48%) and the global economy (46%).

However, your political leanings in the US make a huge difference to whether you think the economic policies of President Trump will have a positive or negative effect. Six in ten Republicans think the President’s policies will benefit their financial situation. While only 15% of Democrats feel the same. The divide is the same when it comes to the US economy. Three in four (74%) Republicans think the President’s economic agenda will have a positive impact, but only 16% of Democrats feel the same.

Attitudes to President Trump’s economic policies among neighbours and allies

On average across 28 countries, 54% think the President’s policies will damage the relationship between the US and their own nation. Those most critical are often the US’s closest allies.

In the US’s neighbour to the north, Canada, 81% think President Trump’s economic policies will negatively impact the two countries’ relationship, including 57% who believe it will have a very negative effect. We see big differences by countries here; in most of the G7 and European countries surveyed, a majority of the public say the impact on relations with America will be bad. On the other hand, Indians and Argentinians take a more positive view, on balance.

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About the Survey

These are the results of a 29-country survey conducted by Ipsos on its Global Advisor online platform and, in India, on its IndiaBus platform, between Friday, April 25, and Friday, May 9, 2025. For this survey, Ipsos interviewed a total of 22,734 adults aged 18 years and older in India, 18-74 in Canada, Republic of Ireland, Malaysia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the United States, 20-74 in Thailand, 21-74 in Indonesia and Singapore, and 16-74 in all other countries.

The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals each in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the U.S., and 500 individuals each in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, and Türkiye. The sample in India consists of approximately 2,200 individuals, of whom approximately 1,800 were interviewed face-to-face and 400 were interviewed online.

Samples in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S. can be considered representative of their general adult populations under the age of 75. Samples in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Türkiye are more urban, more educated, and/or more affluent than the general population. The survey results for these countries should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of their population.