Ngerians have emerged as the most confident population in the world in the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a new global survey released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center.
A stunning 79% of Nigerian adults expressed either “a lot” or “some” confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs — the highest of any of the 24 countries polled.
The report, which surveyed attitudes in the early months of Trump’s second term, paints a stark contrast in global opinion, with Trump receiving significantly higher marks from sub-Saharan Africa than from traditional U.S. allies in Western Europe and North America.
A Favorable View in Nigeria Despite Global Skepticism
While the global median confidence in Trump sits at 34%, with 62% saying they have little or no confidence in him, Nigerians defy this trend. Trump’s 79% confidence rating in Nigeria is followed by Israel (69%), Kenya (64%), Hungary (53%), and India (52%).
This Nigerian enthusiasm for Trump transcends religious lines, with 81% of Christians and 74% of Muslims expressing confidence in the U.S. president.
That balance of support is rare among the countries surveyed, indicating a uniquely unified Nigerian perception of Trump’s global leadership.
In contrast, views in neighbouring South Africa are significantly lower. Confidence in Trump there is among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, although the survey was conducted before President Cyril Ramaphosa’s high-profile visit to the White House on May 21.
Western Europe Leads in Trump Scepticism
Trump’s lowest ratings came from countries like Mexico (8%), Sweden (15%), Turkey (16%), Germany (18%), and Spain (19%). In Mexico, 91% of respondents said they had little or no confidence in Trump, a reflection of years of diplomatic tension and inflammatory rhetoric.
Majorities in key allies such as Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Australia expressed “no confidence at all” in Trump, suggesting a widening rift between Washington and Western capitals.
Gender, Age, and Ideology Shape Global Attitudes
Across 17 of the surveyed countries, men are more likely than women to support Trump. In Nigeria, this gender divide exists but is narrower than in places like Poland or Sweden. Similarly, younger people in nine countries — including South Africa and India — reported higher confidence in Trump than older adults.
Ideologically, those on the political right overwhelmingly support Trump, a pattern consistent across nearly all countries surveyed.
In Israel, the ideological divide is sharpest: 93% of those on the right express confidence in Trump, compared with just 21% on the left.
In Turkey, however, the trend reverses — the only country where those on the left view Trump more favourably than the right.
Trump’s popularity is also high among supporters of right-wing populist parties in Europe and beyond. In countries like Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Italy, backers of parties such as Fidesz, Law and Justice, Vox, and the Brothers of Italy are far more likely to endorse Trump’s global leadership.
Trump Outshines Biden in Nigeria, Israel, and India
Compared to his predecessor, Joe Biden, Trump’s approval is significantly higher in six countries, including Nigeria (+13 points), Israel (+12), Turkey (+8), India (+8), South Africa (+5), and Hungary (+24).
This swing is particularly stark in Nigeria, where confidence in Trump has jumped 21 points since the beginning of his first term in 2017, part of a global trend of rising confidence in Trump. Pew noted significant upward shifts in 20 of 22 countries where long-term data are available.
By contrast, Biden’s 2024 ratings were notably higher than Trump’s current ratings in countries like Sweden (-48 for Trump), Germany (-45), and Poland (-40).
Since 2017, Trump’s global image has seen modest improvements, particularly in countries previously sceptical of his leadership. Pew notes that Trump’s 2025 ratings have improved in countries like the UK (+18), Italy (+16), South Korea (+16), Japan (+13), France (+12), and Germany (+8).
These ratings were captured before the attempted assassination of Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and before President Biden dropped out of the race, later replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee — events that may further affect global perceptions.
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