From Leader to Laggard: How Trump’s Election Reshaped Global Perceptions of the USA

His administration’s often combative and dismissive approach was a sharp break from the United States post-World War II tradition of leading through cooperation and diplomacy.

Libby Winkler
4 min readDec 10, 2024
Photo by Nelson Ndongala on Unsplash

From Leader to Laggard: How Trump’s Election Reshaped Global Perceptions of the USA

When Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, he pledged to redefine America’s role on the global stage. Under the “America First” banner, Trump prioritized U.S. interests above longstanding alliances, trade agreements, and international norms. His administration’s often combative and dismissive approach was a sharp break from the United States post-1945 tradition of leading through cooperation and diplomacy.

The outcome?

A notable decline in global opinion of the U.S., strained alliances, and a step back from multilateral engagement.

The Erosion of Trust: A Global Shift in Opinion

Before Trump, the U.S. was widely regarded as a stabilizing power promoting democratic values.

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Libby Winkler
Libby Winkler

Written by Libby Winkler

Freelance writer who loves exploring the messiness of humanity, while poking around in nooks of life and shining light on all the things that make us complex..

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