this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2025
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Recent global reactions show the world's diminishing respect for American leadership, particularly following Trump's 2024 election victory and subsequent actions in 2025.

International polling reveals a dramatic decline in America's global standing, with only 46% of people across 29 countries believing the US will have a positive influence on world affairs, down from 59% just months earlier[^10]. Even in Canada, traditionally a close ally, positive views of the US plummeted from 52% to just 19%[^10].

Trump's 58-minute UN speech in September 2025 drew stony faces from world leaders, a stark contrast to previous years when delegates would laugh at his claims[^3]. According to body language expert Peter Collett, "People are taking it much more seriously. Whereas formerly it was a source of amusement when he puffed himself up, now almost everything he has to say has to be taken seriously"[^3].

The administration's policies have further eroded America's standing. Massive tariffs imposed on nearly 70 countries have disrupted global trade[^18], while Trump's stance on immigration and inflammatory rhetoric about other nations has alienated allies. At the UN, Brazilian President Lula warned of "attacks on sovereignty, arbitrary sanctions and unilateral interventions" becoming the norm[^19].

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emerged as a leading European voice opposing American policies, defending migration and open societies while warning about "the door to tyranny"[^19]. Meanwhile, Indonesian President Subianto received applause at the UN for declaring "No one country can bully the whole of the human family"[^19].

[^10]: Ipsos - America's reputation drops across the world

[^3]: DW - Trump's UN speech no laughing matter as body language shows

[^18]: Yahoo News - Trump Rants About Countries Laughing at America

[^19]: The Guardian - Trump's UN speech makes it clear: the world can no longer look to the US for strong leadership

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[–] PanArab@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Trump is the most Amerikan president, yet. A perfect representation of the people and the culture of the USA today.

"As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron." -- H. L. Mencken

Congrats to the Amerikan people on their achievement. Though they could probably go beyond perfection with their can-do attitude.

[–] DSN9@lemmy.ml 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The USA is analogous to the Soviet Union. Fake food, fake happiness, fake or poor quality everything- even beyond just goods and services. American speech is fake, the political class, intentionality, even well meaning people are fake. Nothing is meaningful with intention. Their democracy is fake, and so is their standing and success. All fake. Their clothes are cheap slop, everything is brand obsession but with zero substance, all marketing. Brand obsession might as well be considered a form of propaganda at this point, as the line between branding and political influence is blurry. They destroyed what semblance of country and community they once had.

They're on the verge of having one helluva hangover when they sober up.

The worst part is, they don't know it. They are living in a bubble that is bombarded with corporatism/ political propaganda.

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Arcane2077@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago

That’s not even a real saint, what are you on about 😭

Only propaganda kept the image of the US alive, and their sole position as THE military superpower meant everyone had to just take the long shaft of American intervention, either the easy way or the hard way, but it ain't the early 00s anymore. Also, American culture has progressively lost its mask (and social media like TikTok just tore it off, basically), so the ugliness of imperialism and the disgusting selfishness mixed with post-relativist amorality just destroyed any "face" the US had. 🤷

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 24 points 2 days ago (14 children)

That this reaction didn't happen during any Bush or Reagan administration is stunning.

[–] Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 days ago

Or the Biden administration for that matter.

[–] BarrelsBallot@lemmygrad.ml 11 points 2 days ago

As some of the replies to your comment show, many only care about aesthetics

[–] krigo666@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

As bad those two were, do you really that they even come close to the shitshow that is the Orange Turd???

[–] wurzelgummidge@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Unfortunately, the orange turn is just the clown face emoji that the people who are really running America hide behind.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 3 points 2 days ago (6 children)

I think if people weren't so self-absorbed, this point in time would be different. And it will get worse, not because people are powerless, but because they're more self-absorbed than ever.

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[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Well, at least Bush and Reagon also not stupider as the most other world leader and compared to Trump they are Einsteins.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 5 points 2 days ago

And it's really not the point I was making, either.

[–] folaht@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

US still has an abundance of coal. Together with the weak monarchic but oil rich Saudi Arabia, the oil rich, but coal poor Soviet Union collapsed. Now there are two alternatives, China's weaker, but socialist coal industry and the much much much stronger solar photovoltaic industry completely dominated by China again.
It's both of these developments that are causing the situation to be normal instead of the weird events of 1989-1992 and 2008.

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[–] BarrelsBallot@lemmygrad.ml 20 points 2 days ago (12 children)

46% of people across 29 countries still believing that "the US will have a positive influence on world affairs" is insane

I'm choosing to believe that they think the collapse of US empire will have positive ripples globally

[–] bennieandthez@lemmygrad.ml 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Its what you get when half of the world is an US puppet and is actively occupied by US military bases.

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[–] kyub@discuss.tchncs.de 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Though laughing about the current regime in USA is an understandable reaction, it's also at the same time not a laughing matter at all. It's a bit like a great comedian or clown who is very entertaining and goofy at first but at the end he randomly kills 1 person from the audience. Still a funny act? No. Because at the end of this craziness, people will needlessly suffer and/or die.

The country still has huge world-wide influence, and if that influence originates from crazies, that's not great for anyone, neither for US citizens nor for any other country in the world which has to at least partly deal with the US somehow. It is, however, a great and very visible warning sign for other countries to hopefully not follow the US into such craziness.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

very visible warning sign for other countries to hopefully not follow the US into such craziness.

I have bad news for you...

[–] kyub@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 2 days ago

I know, but it's still a warning sign, even when some can't read or understand it.

[–] PanArab@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

Germany isn't far behind.

[–] DSN9@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They invented driving to a place, to go for a walk.

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 days ago

Yes, eg. in San Diego

[–] Rom@hexbear.net 10 points 2 days ago

Even in Canada, traditionally a close ally, positive views of the US plummeted from 52% to just 19%

Yeah no shit I'd be peeved too if my neighbor threatened to invade and annex me.

[–] Taleya@aussie.zone 6 points 2 days ago

BP are starting to trade in RMB. How's that for US "power"

[–] DaMummy@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago

No worries. It's a laughingstock in the USA as well.

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