Trump gets rock-bottom ratings in international survey

A new multi-nation survey finds that confidence in Donald Trump’s ability to manage foreign policy should he become US president is rock-bottom in a host of countries in Europe and Asia.

In seven of 15 countries outside of the US polled by Pew Research Center, Trump’s ratings are in the single digits. Large majorities in 11 of the countries have little or no confidence in the prospective Republican presidential nominee’s ability to manage international affairs. That includes 92 percent of Swedes, 89 percent of Germans and 82 percent of Japanese.

He polls best in China, where there is a split between 40 percent who have no confidence in Trump and 39 percent who do not offer an opinion. Trump, who has advocated trade protectionism and temporarily banning Muslims from entering the United States, records his highest ratings in Europe among supporters of political parties that are anti-immigration or oppose European integration. But even among those poll respondents, his confidence ratings remains below one-third.

The survey, which examines international attitudes toward the US, gauged opinions from 20,132 people in Canada, the US, 10 nations in Europe and four in the Asia-Pacific between April 4 and May 29.

Hillary Clinton fares much better. A median of 59 percent in Europe have confidence in the Democratic contender — compared with just 9 percent for Trump. She also gets positive marks in Canada, Australia and Japan, although views are mixed in China, where 37 percent say they have confidence in Clinton and 35 percent say they do not.

— AP