Western Europeans Turning Against US After Greenland Threat, Poll Finds
Large majorities in six Western European nations have expressed significant antipathy toward Donald Trump's United States and voiced strong support for greater European self-assertion, according to a comprehensive new poll. The survey reveals that Western Europeans increasingly prize Europe's autonomy and core values over traditional transatlantic ties, demonstrating a clear unwillingness to sacrifice these principles to placate the current US administration.
Record Low Opinions of the United States
The polling data indicates that opinions of the United States have plunged to their lowest levels since YouGov began tracking these sentiments a decade ago. President Trump's controversial attempt to acquire Greenland appears to have succeeded in turning European public opinion solidly against his country, with the pollster's latest survey showing large majorities across Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Great Britain all declaring unfavourable opinions of the United States.
The negative perception figures range from 62% in France to a striking 84% in Denmark – the nation most directly affected by the Greenland controversy as it governs the autonomous territory. These numbers represent a further steep rise in negative perceptions since November, when the range was between 49% and 70% across the surveyed nations.
Dramatic Shift in Perceptions of Friendship and Alliance
The polling also reveals that Europeans in ever-increasing numbers no longer view the United States as a friendly nation, with significantly fewer respondents in all six countries considering America an ally. These numbers represent a sharp decline since YouGov last asked the same question, with Denmark showing the most dramatic change.
In July 2023, a substantial 80% of Danes said they saw the United States as a friend or ally. Now, fewer than 26% hold that view – a remarkable shift in perception that underscores how rapidly European attitudes have transformed. This dramatic decline in Denmark, where unfavourable opinions of the US increased the most, highlights the profound impact recent events have had on transatlantic perceptions.
Agreement and Disagreement with US Positions
The survey shows that Europeans tend to agree with certain aspects of the Trump administration's diagnosis of European weaknesses. Between 59% and 74% acknowledge that Europe has been too reliant on the United States for defence, while 52% to 63% agree that Europe has allowed too much immigration, and 45% to 62% believe Europe has been too hesitant on the world stage.
However, Europeans strongly disagree with repeated US claims that European governments are excessively restrictive on free speech, with only 18% to 31% sharing this view. Even fewer Europeans – just 10% to 17% – share President Trump's perspective that the European Union has been unfair in its trade dealings with the United States.
Perceptions of Power and Dependence
Despite calls from several European political leaders for the EU to exercise its considerable economic clout in dealings with the United States, the survey reveals that most respondents believe America remains stronger than Europe economically, diplomatically, and militarily. Furthermore, between 63% and 78% of Europeans believe that Europe's defence and peace still rely on the United States, with 49% to 64% feeling the same way about their continent's prosperity.
Unsurprisingly, most respondents believe a breakdown in EU-US relations would be detrimental to Europe. Yet the dispute over Greenland appears to have focused Western European minds on the importance of autonomy, with the most widely held view across all countries (41% to 55%) being that European self-determination should now be prioritised over preserving the transatlantic alliance.
Limited Willingness to Accommodate US Demands
Western Europeans demonstrate limited willingness to make significant sacrifices to preserve good relations with the United States. The only measure respondents in all surveyed countries said they would be willing to implement is reducing immigration – a goal that most Europeans support regardless of transatlantic relations.
Respondents in Great Britain, Denmark, France, and Germany – though not in Spain or Italy – would also consider boosting national defence spending to maintain positive relations with the United States. Danes and Britons show more willingness than other Europeans to greatly increase aid to Ukraine as part of maintaining transatlantic ties.
However, Europeans generally refuse to ease restrictions on hate speech, adopt US-approved international trade policies, agree to trade deals more favourable to the United States than Europe, cover the cost of US armed forces in Europe, or disband the European Union to accommodate American preferences.
Future Expectations and Contingency Planning
Despite European leaders warning that "the world has changed permanently," the poll suggests that many Europeans – ranging from 39% in Germany to 57% in Denmark – still believe US foreign policy will "revert to normal" once President Trump has left office.
If the transatlantic relationship does experience a breakdown, most respondents (except those in Italy) support higher defence spending. Europeans are more divided on boosting aid to Ukraine in such a scenario, and relatively few (20% to 31%) want Europe to forge closer relations with other major powers as an alternative to US ties.
By contrast, there is broad support for greater political integration within Europe if EU-US relations deteriorate. Between 46% and 63% of respondents support giving the European Union greater powers and decision-making capacity in such circumstances – significantly more than those who oppose this approach to strengthening European autonomy and resilience.
