Poll finds West Europeans questioning the US's dependability as a defense ally.

Poll finds West Europeans questioning the US's dependability as a defense ally.

Almost four out of ten individuals viewed the US as "somewhat unreliable" or "very unreliable" in terms of security partnerships, as indicated by a recent survey. In contrast, close to half of the respondents in the three European nations deemed the US as "somewhat reliable."

The institute associated with the political consulting firm Eurasia suggested that these findings may have been impacted by "uncertainty about the future of transatlantic security cooperation" if Trump were to regain the presidency. Trump has been a long-time critic of NATO and often accuses Germany of insufficient defense spending.

Trump created a disturbance among Western allies when he stated in February that he would not defend NATO countries that don't allocate sufficient funds for defense in the event of an attack. He even urged Russia to "do whatever they want" if they were attacked. Trump plans to compete against incumbent President Joe Biden in the upcoming November presidential election, whom he lost to in 2020.

In the same survey, Biden did not garner much favor. Only 13% of Germans, 9% of the French, and 16% of the British considered him a "positive example of leadership for the world" at present.

On the other hand, French President Macron fared significantly better in this category, with 33% of Germans, 25% of the French, and 16% of the British naming him as the current "positive example of leadership for the world."

The survey was conducted by the opinion research institute YouGov on 3,360 adults in the first half of April across the three European countries and the United States.

Read also:

1. Despite the concerns about the US's reliability as a defense ally amongst Western Europeans, Germany, France, and Great Britain still view the USA as a significant security guarantor.
2. The uncertainties about the future of transatlantic security cooperation under the potential presidency of Donald Trump may have contributed to the survey results showing a majority of West Europeans viewing the US as somewhat reliable.
3. Trump's criticism of NATO and his claims that he would not defend NATO countries without sufficient defense funding have caused tension with Western allies, impacting perceptions of US dependability.
4. The upcoming November presidential election in the USA sees Trump competing against incumbent President Joe Biden, who has received only modest support from Germans, French, and British respondents in surveys regarding his leadership qualities.
5. The controversial statements made by Trump, such as urging Russia to "do whatever they want" in case of an attack, have not enhanced western allies' confidence in the USA's commitment to their defense and security.
6. In the same survey, conducted by opinion research institute YouGov, Donald Trump garnered only 6% of support from Germans, 5% from the French, and 8% from the British, who viewed him as a positive example of leadership for the world.
7. Conversely, the survey revealed that French President Emmanuel Macron was perceived as a more positive example of leadership for the world, with 20% of Germans, 15% of the French, and 11% of the British expressing this viewpoint.

• Shift in appetite for dairy: From cultural norms to moral conversations
• This will change in December
• Dikes withstand water masses so far - Scholz holds out the prospect of help
• Fireworks and parties ring in 2024 - turn of the year overshadowed by conflicts