Americans are divided over U.S. role globally and whether international engagement can solve problems
There are differences by age in Americans’ attitudes about whether the U.S. should focus more on domestic problems or be more globally active.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
There are differences by age in Americans’ attitudes about whether the U.S. should focus more on domestic problems or be more globally active.
In most places surveyed, more people name China’s influence as a major threat than any of the other geopolitical issues asked about.
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
As President Joe Biden embarks on his first visit to Israel as president, he does so against an amicable backdrop: A majority of adults in both Israel and the United States have favorable views of the other country and the current state of bilateral relations, though Americans’ views on Israel differ sharply by party and age.
A median of 66% across eight EU member nations rated the organization positively this summer.
Thirty years ago, a wave of optimism swept across Europe as walls and regimes fell, and long-oppressed publics embraced open societies, open markets and a more united Europe. Three decades later, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that few people in the former Eastern Bloc regret the monumental changes of 1989-1991.
In the U.S., concerns about political corruption are especially widespread. Two-in-three Americans agree that the phrase “most politicians are corrupt” describes their country well.
More countries still name the U.S. as the foremost economic power than say the same of China. And, even in nations that welcome China’s economic growth, few feel similarly about its growing military might.
Focus groups held across the two nations reveal the degree to which Americans and Britons see common challenges to local and national identity.
Donald Trump’s international image remains poor, and ratings for the U.S. have declined since his election. Yet most people around the world still want the U.S., not China, as the world’s leading power.
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