Do Americans think Trump can make good decisions about various foreign policy issues?
Why it matters: The survey reveals that 32% of Americans have confidence in Trump's decisions on the Russia-Ukraine war, a 13-point drop since 2024.
- Pew Research Center survey conducted March 23-29, indicates that majorities of Americans express little or no confidence in Donald Trump’s handling of various foreign policy issues, with no issue achieving majority confidence.
- Americans show the most confidence in Trump's handling of U.S.-Israel relations (43%), while confidence is lowest for his decisions regarding the Russia-Ukraine war (32%).
- Republicans and Republican-leaning independents demonstrate significantly higher confidence, ranging from 74% on trade policy to 60% on the Russia-Ukraine war, contrasting sharply with Democrats and Democratic leaners whose confidence peaks at 16% for U.S.-Israel relations and drops to 7% for Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Republicans ages 50 and older are consistently more confident than younger Republicans, with an 87% confidence level in Trump's handling of U.S.-Israel relations compared to 60% among those aged 18-49.
- Confidence in Trump's decision-making has noticeably declined over time for issues like the Russia-Ukraine war (from 45% in 2024 to 32% today), Iran, China, and North Korea, though views on U.S. relations with Israel and Canada have remained stable since 2025.
A recent Pew Research Center survey reveals that most Americans lack confidence in former President Donald Trump's foreign policy decision-making across 12 key areas, with no single issue garnering majority support. While confidence is highest for U.S.-Israel relations (43%) and lowest for the Russia-Ukraine war (32%), significant partisan and age divides persist, and overall confidence has declined in several critical areas since 2024.
