Global leadership of the United States - statistics & facts
Ahead of the 2024 presidential election in the United States, the eyes of the world are once again fixed on the global leader. Observers across the globe are watching to find out who will be the next U.S. president, as this will have a huge impact on global affairs. The United States has the largest economy in the world, is the world’s leading military power, and is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Moreover, it is an important supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia, Israel in its war against Hamas, and tensions are rising with China over the South China Sea and the status of Taiwan. The next U.S. president will almost certainly shape the direction of all these conflicts, but how did the U.S. become a global leader? And how do people around the world view its global leadership?
The September 11 attack in 2001 became the starting point of the war on terror, marked by the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and this saw a shift in global attitudes to the U.S. and its president. George W. Bush's reputation among world leaders rose sharply immediately after 9/11, but deteriorated after the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and again with the emergence of the global financial crisis. The two invasions and prolonged wars resulted in the U.S. becoming more reluctant to get directly involved in other conflicts, and the status of its leadership role took a blow, especially when no evidence was found of Iraq developing weapons of mass destructions, nor that it had supported Al-Qaeda during its planning of the 9/11 attacks. The negative impact of U.S. involvement in the Middle East is one reason why an increasing number of countries in the Global South have now turned away from the U.S., and are now aligning themselves with other emerging powers.
Additionally, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marked a turning point in global affairs and highlighted President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions of expanding the country’s territory. The United States, together with several other Western countries, has since imposed a range of sanctions on Russia, and supports Ukraine both politically, financially, and with military aid. Worldwide, views are split on President Joe Biden’s handling of the war. Elsewhere, nearly 60 percent of respondents worldwide disapprove of Biden’s handling of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 attack on Israel in 2023. Tens of thousands of civilians, a large share of which are children, have since been killed in what is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, while non-governmental organizations are increasingly warning of imminent famine.
Global views on the performance of recent leadership of the United States has fluctuated with each president. The approval was clearly highest during Barack Obama’s two terms, and lowest during Trump’s term. Hence, views on the global role of the U.S. are dynamic, and changes with world affairs and the actions of the incumbent president. While these views continue to evolve, the U.S. will likely remain one of the major players at the global stage for decades to come, even though it is increasingly challenged by other countries.
Also in most European countries, people prefer Biden as president over Trump. Fears are rising from Warsaw to Paris over Trump questioning his commitment to the military alliance NATO, and to his comments signaling a significant reduction of military aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Additionally, in February 2024 the Republican candidate encouraged Russia to do 'whatever the hell they want' with NATO allies not spending more than two percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. In 2024, a majority of member states met this target, which is guiding but not binding.
The U.S. as a global leader: From Cold War to war on terror
The United States emerged as one of two global superpowers following the Second World War, alongside the Soviet Union, and both powers competed to expand their sphere of influence in the decades that followed. The U.S. established an extensive military presence across the globe, especially in Western Europe and East Asia, to try and contain the expansion of communism during the Cold War, and became involved in proxy wars with the Soviet Union in other countries, most notably in Vietnam. Moreover, the U.S. was behind a range of coup d’etats around the world to install leaders who were friendly toward the Americans, for instance Augusto Pinochet in Chile. Additionally, investment from both the government and private U.S. companies in foreign countries saw its economic influence grow significantly, and its soft power was also widened through cultural exports such as cinema, music, and cuisine. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States became the foremost superpower in the world and was then able to expand its influence further into former communist states.The September 11 attack in 2001 became the starting point of the war on terror, marked by the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and this saw a shift in global attitudes to the U.S. and its president. George W. Bush's reputation among world leaders rose sharply immediately after 9/11, but deteriorated after the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and again with the emergence of the global financial crisis. The two invasions and prolonged wars resulted in the U.S. becoming more reluctant to get directly involved in other conflicts, and the status of its leadership role took a blow, especially when no evidence was found of Iraq developing weapons of mass destructions, nor that it had supported Al-Qaeda during its planning of the 9/11 attacks. The negative impact of U.S. involvement in the Middle East is one reason why an increasing number of countries in the Global South have now turned away from the U.S., and are now aligning themselves with other emerging powers.
Toward a multipolar world?
While the U.S. remains a leading global player today, its hegemony is increasingly being challenged by other emerging players. Most notably, the economic growth of China over the past decade and its increasing military spending has made the world’s second largest economy a major player on the world stage. China's Belt and Road Initiative, a trade route from China to Europe, has seen some large-scale investments in infrastructure projects across Asia and Africa. China has also expanded its regional interests, with rising tensions in the South China Sea and about the status of Taiwan, who the Chinese government sees as a part of the People’s Republic. The next U.S. president’s stance on this conflict will certainly contribute to shape its future development. Other players are also emerging on the global stage, including India, now the world’s most populous country, and the Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates with their massive oil and gas reserves.Additionally, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marked a turning point in global affairs and highlighted President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions of expanding the country’s territory. The United States, together with several other Western countries, has since imposed a range of sanctions on Russia, and supports Ukraine both politically, financially, and with military aid. Worldwide, views are split on President Joe Biden’s handling of the war. Elsewhere, nearly 60 percent of respondents worldwide disapprove of Biden’s handling of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 attack on Israel in 2023. Tens of thousands of civilians, a large share of which are children, have since been killed in what is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, while non-governmental organizations are increasingly warning of imminent famine.
Views on the U.S. and its presidents around the world
When comparing global views on China and the United States, people generally have a more favorable view on the latter. Notable exceptions are Turkey and Tunisia, likely influenced by the Israel-Hamas war, as well as the Asian countries Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Moreover, over 80 percent of Israelis approve of the global leadership of the U.S., compared to only 11 percent in the Palestinian Territories. Additionally, global confidence in Joe Biden is significantly higher than in Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and also Donald Trump.Global views on the performance of recent leadership of the United States has fluctuated with each president. The approval was clearly highest during Barack Obama’s two terms, and lowest during Trump’s term. Hence, views on the global role of the U.S. are dynamic, and changes with world affairs and the actions of the incumbent president. While these views continue to evolve, the U.S. will likely remain one of the major players at the global stage for decades to come, even though it is increasingly challenged by other countries.
Global views on the 2024 election
When surveyed before incumbent President Joe Biden stepped down as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, respondents in most countries around the world preferred Biden to be re-elected. Looking at the Americas, the region closest to the U.S. geographically, all countries had higher confidence in Joe Biden than Donald Trump doing the right thing in world politics, but the approval ratings fell below 40 percent in all countries surveyed worldwide. Trump has been a fierce critic of immigration from Latin American countries. Moreover, Trump started constructing a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border during his presidency, a measure that only was supported by nine percent of Mexicans.Also in most European countries, people prefer Biden as president over Trump. Fears are rising from Warsaw to Paris over Trump questioning his commitment to the military alliance NATO, and to his comments signaling a significant reduction of military aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia. Additionally, in February 2024 the Republican candidate encouraged Russia to do 'whatever the hell they want' with NATO allies not spending more than two percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. In 2024, a majority of member states met this target, which is guiding but not binding.
