New poll reveals growing skepticism among NATO allies about US reliability and military deterrence, with Germany and Canada showing particularly high distrust.
Allies Doubt US Reliability
A poll by Public First for POLITICO finds respondents in key NATO countries view the United States as an unreliable partner more often than reliable. In Germany, half of those surveyed called the US “an untrustworthy ally.” In Canada, 57% held this view. In France, the percentage of people rating the US negatively was more than twice as high as those rating it positively. In the UK, 39% deemed the US untrustworthy compared to 35% who found it reliable.
Military Deterrence Weakened
Confidence in US military deterrence is also declining. In France and Germany, the largest share of respondents stated that relations with the US no longer guarantee protection against a potential enemy attack. In the UK, the percentage of people believing in the effectiveness of the US security umbrella fell by 10 percentage points over the past year.
Eroding Trust Rooted in Tensions
The decline in trust coincides with transatlantic tensions, including trade disputes, Donald Trump’s harsh rhetoric, and his move to take over Greenland from Denmark. Some European leaders spoke of a “rift” in relations with Washington. Respondents increasingly indicated the US no longer shares their values and protects democracy to the same extent as before. In Germany, half believed the US does not share German values, and only 18% thought it “protects democracy.”
Distinct Polish Perspective
Though the POLITICO poll did not include Poland, a separate January survey by French magazine “Le Grand Continent” across seven European countries shows unique Polish views. Only 28% of Poles considered Donald Trump an “enemy of Europe,” the lowest share among surveyed nations. Meanwhile, 17% saw him as a “friend of Europe,” and the largest group—48%—chose a neutral stance. Across all seven countries, 51% of respondents viewed Trump as an “enemy of Europe.”
