Do Americans think Trump can make good decisions about various foreign policy issues?
Why it matters: Public confidence in Trump's foreign policy decisions has declined, notably by 13 percentage points for the Russia-Ukraine war since 2024.
- Pew Research Center survey conducted March 23-29, finds that majorities of Americans express little or no confidence in President Donald Trump’s handling of various foreign policy issues, with no single issue achieving majority support.
- Confidence in Trump is highest for U.S.-Israel relations at 43%, but significantly lower for the Russia-Ukraine war at 32%, with a noticeable downward trend in confidence over time for the latter, as well as for Iran, China, and North Korea.
- Partisan gaps are wide and persistent, with Republicans and leaners showing 60-74% confidence across issues, while Democrats and leaners peak at 16% confidence on U.S.-Israel relations, dropping to just 7% for Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war.
- Republicans ages 50 and older are consistently more confident than younger Republicans, with an 87% vs. 60% confidence gap on U.S.-Israel relations.
- The Hill highlights a related development, noting a US warning to Americans in the Middle East ahead of a Trump Iran deadline, underscoring the real-world implications of foreign policy decisions where public confidence is low.
A recent Pew Research Center survey reveals that most Americans lack confidence in President Donald Trump's foreign policy decision-making across 12 key areas, with significant partisan and age-based divides. While no issue garners majority confidence, U.S.-Israel relations see the highest support at 43%, contrasting sharply with declining confidence in his handling of the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran, China, and North Korea.
