ECFR Poll Finds 11% of Europeans View U.S. as Ally
United States
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What Happened
What Happened
Where Sources Agree
- arrows_inputEuropean View of US as Ally: Most outlets confirm only 11% of Europeans across 15 countries view the United States as an ally, a historic low, down from 16% half a year ago and 22% in November 2024, according to a survey published by the European Council on Foreign Relations.
- arrows_inputTrump Damaged Transatlantic Relations: Sources largely converge on Donald Trump having damaged the relationship between Europe and the USA, with 63 percent of French respondents specifically agreeing, according to the ECFR poll.
- arrows_inputTrust in US Defense Wanes: Sources verify majorities in all surveyed countries expressed doubts that the U.S. would come to their defense in the event of an attack, according to the ECFR poll.
Where Sources Disagree
- arrows_outputEnergy Turmoil Blame: Some reports highlight that Europeans largely blame the U.S. for current fuel and energy turmoil. In contrast, other reports emphasize European opposition to Russian fossil fuels and support for renewables.
- arrows_outputReasons for Trust Decline: Some outlets emphasize President Trump's threats to NATO, proposed Greenland annexation, and troop withdrawals as key reasons for declining trust. However, other outlets also highlight his tariffs and striking Iran without European planning as significant factors.
- arrows_outputUS Ally View Decline Context: Some outlets report the decline in US ally view from 22% in November 2024, while others specify this occurred during the Biden administration.
Timeline
June 10, 2026
Trump's policies blamed: Researchers and the policy brief linked the decline in trust to President Donald Trump’s positions — including tariff disputes, criticism of NATO, threats to withdraw troops (announced last month), remarks about Greenland, and other foreign-policy stances — which respondents cited as influencing perceptions of the U.S. role in Europe. The ECFR brief frames these actions as key drivers of the erosion of transatlantic trust.
June 10, 2026
Shift toward European defence: Respondents showed increased support for higher national military budgets, collective EU borrowing to fund defence (around 47% regionwide), and reducing reliance on U.S.-made military equipment in favour of European alternatives. These attitudes point to growing public backing for greater European defence autonomy.
June 10, 2026
Confidence in U.S. defence drops: Majorities in all surveyed countries expressed doubts that the U.S. would come to their defence in the event of an attack, with overall confidence in the United States as a reliable security partner falling to historic lows. The report says Europeans increasingly recognise a need for more autonomous security.
Summaries by Ground AI
Sources
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Timeline
June 10, 2026
Trump's policies blamed: Researchers and the policy brief linked the decline in trust to President Donald Trump’s positions — including tariff disputes, criticism of NATO, threats to withdraw troops (announced last month), remarks about Greenland, and other foreign-policy stances — which respondents cited as influencing perceptions of the U.S. role in Europe. The ECFR brief frames these actions as key drivers of the erosion of transatlantic trust.
June 10, 2026
Shift toward European defence: Respondents showed increased support for higher national military budgets, collective EU borrowing to fund defence (around 47% regionwide), and reducing reliance on U.S.-made military equipment in favour of European alternatives. These attitudes point to growing public backing for greater European defence autonomy.
June 10, 2026
Confidence in U.S. defence drops: Majorities in all surveyed countries expressed doubts that the U.S. would come to their defence in the event of an attack, with overall confidence in the United States as a reliable security partner falling to historic lows. The report says Europeans increasingly recognise a need for more autonomous security.
