In the ninth annual joint Pew Research Center and Körber-Stiftung surveys of the United States and German publics, we find profound changes in perceptions of the transatlantic relationship. While Germans continue to value the alliance with the U.S., confidence in America’s leadership has plummeted to a historic low. Simultaneously, Americans express growing doubts about Germany’s commitment to shared security interests, especially regarding defense spending and support for Ukraine.
Germans’ Confidence in U.S. Leadership Drops to Record Low
The survey reveals a stark decline in German trust in President Donald Trump, with only 23% expressing confidence in his handling of world affairs. This marks the lowest level recorded sence Pew Research Center and Körber-Stiftung began their joint surveys in 2017.A majority (68%) of Germans now hold an unfavorable view of the U.S., a significant increase from previous years.
Germans are particularly critical of U.S. foreign policy under Trump, with concerns centered around his perceived unpredictability, his questioning of customary alliances, and his approach to international cooperation. Nearly eight in ten Germans (79%) believe the U.S. is less reliable as a partner than it was a few years ago.
Americans Question Germany’s Commitment to Security
Across the Atlantic, Americans are increasingly skeptical of Germany’s dedication to collective security. Only 42% of americans believe Germany is a reliable partner, down from 53% in 2021. A significant portion (56%) of Americans feel Germany does not contribute enough to NATO’s defense spending goals.
The war in Ukraine has further exacerbated these concerns. While a majority of Germans support providing aid to Ukraine, American perceptions are that Germany is not doing enough. Around half of Americans (51%) believe Germany is not sufficiently supportive of Ukraine, compared to 38% of Germans who share that view.
Shared Concerns, Diverging Views on China
Despite the growing rift in perceptions of each other, both Americans and Germans share concerns about the rise of China. Large majorities in both countries view China as a competitor, and express worries about its growing economic and military power. However, there are differences in the degree of concern. Americans are more likely than Germans to see China as a serious threat to their national interests.
Looking Ahead: A Transatlantic Relationship Under Strain
These findings paint a picture of a transatlantic relationship under significant strain.The combination of declining German confidence in U.S. leadership and growing American doubts about german commitment to security poses a serious challenge to the future of the alliance.
The surveys highlight the need for renewed dialog and efforts to rebuild trust between the U.S. and Germany. Addressing concerns about defense spending, demonstrating a shared commitment to Ukraine, and finding common ground on issues like China will be crucial for preserving the transatlantic partnership in the years to come.
How we did this
In 2017, Pew Research Center and Körber-Stiftung began collaborating on joint public opinion surveys to gauge relations between the United States and Germany. Topics surveyed include relations with other countries; partnerships on foreign policy issues; views of China, Russia and the conflicts in the Middle East; democracy and the state of international relations.
the questions were developed together, and each organization fielded a survey in its own country starting in 2017. Some questions have been repeated annually to track attitudes over time.
The results have been published in both countries. Here are the Center reports and analyses for November 2024, November 2023, October 2022, November 2021, november 2020, May 2020, March 2020, March 2019 and February 2018. The Körber-Stiftung findings are contained within its larger “The Berlin Pulse” report and can be found here for 2025 and prior years.
For the U.S. findings, Pew Research Center surveyed 1,015 adults from Sept. 19 to 26, 2025.The survey was conducted by Ipsos for the Center on the Ipsos KnowledgePanel Government & Academic Omnibus. Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel is an online survey panel recruited using address-based sampling.The survey is weighted by gender, age, race, ethnicity, education, income and other categories.
The German findings are from a Körber-Stiftung survey of 1,503 adults from Sept. 15 to 26, 2025. The survey was conducted by Forsa Institute via telephone.
Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and the U.S. survey methodology.
Transatlantic Divide Widens: U.S. and Germany View each Other More Negatively
Table of Contents
- Transatlantic Divide Widens: U.S. and Germany View each Other More Negatively
- U.S. and Germany’s top foreign policy partner
- Shifting alliances: Germans Look to France as U.S. Partnership Wanes
- Shifting Perceptions of Global Threats: Iran, Russia, and China
- Shifting Views of China and U.S. Foreign Aid
- Americans and Germans Hold Similar Views on Freedom of Expression in Their Countries
A new survey reveals a significant downturn in how Americans and Germans view each other, with a widening gap in perceptions of their relationship and shared interests. The findings, released by Pew Research Center in partnership with the Koerber-stiftung, highlight growing concerns and a shift in attitudes on both sides of the Atlantic.
Key Findings:
* Declining Positive Views: A majority of Germans (73%) now view relations with the U.S. as bad, a dramatic drop from 74% positive views just last year.In the U.S., 71% still see relations with Germany as good, but this represents a 13-point decline since 2024.
* Shifting partisan Attitudes in the U.S.: Republicans are substantially more likely than Democrats to view U.S.-Germany relations positively (81% vs. 65%). this marks a reversal from 2024,when Democrats held more favorable views.
* Perceptions of Threat: While both nations see China as an economic threat, significant differences emerge regarding military threats. Americans view both China and Russia as major military threats, while Germans primarily identify Russia as a security concern.
* France Overtakes U.S. as Key Partner for Germans: France is now considered the most important foreign policy partner by 46% of Germans, surpassing the U.S. at 26%. Conversely,only 1% of Americans name Germany as their most important partner,with the UK leading at 19%.
* Economic Concerns: A significant portion of Germans (38%) perceive the U.S. as a major threat to their economy, with another 48% seeing it as a minor threat.
Partnership Concerns:
The survey also examined perceptions of partnership on key issues. Americans are more likely than Germans to view each other as a partner. Moreover,there have been notable declines over the past three years in both countries regarding the perception of being partners on these issues,though the decline is sharper among Germans.
U.S. and Germany’s top foreign policy partner
Americans most commonly name the UK when asked which country is the most important partner for America. In contrast,nearly half of Germans (48%) say France is the top partner for Germany in foreign policy.Only about one-in-five Americans (21%) name France as Germany’s top partner.
While germans are generally willing to say that the U.S. is a partner on these issues and relations are good, on no question do a majority of 18- to 29-year-old Germans say this.
Shifting alliances: Germans Look to France as U.S. Partnership Wanes
Recent polling data reveals a significant shift in German foreign policy preferences, with France emerging as the preferred partner amidst concerns over the future of transatlantic relations. For the first time in recent years, a plurality of Germans – 26% – now identify france as their top foreign policy partner, a departure from the period as 2021 when the United States held that position. Today, with the prospect of a second Trump presidency, only 26% of Germans view the U.S. as their most important partner.
A notable 15% of German respondents expressed uncertainty, indicating a lack of clear preference.
This preference for France is broadly consistent across Germany’s major political parties, including the governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU). Though, supporters of the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are more likely to prioritize the United States.
European Union’s Influence
Perceptions of the European union’s global influence also diverge between the U.S.and germany. While Americans generally believe the EU’s influence has remained stable in recent years, Germans are significantly more likely to perceive a decline in the EU’s power.
Germans are also 20 percentage points more likely than Americans to believe the EU’s influence is decreasing. This suggests a growing sense of unease within Germany regarding the EU’s ability to navigate an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
Shifting Perceptions of Global Threats: Iran, Russia, and China
Just months after the U.S. conducted air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, fewer Americans say Iran is a major military threat in 2025 than said the same last year (42%).
Simultaneously occurring,Germans have grown more concerned with Russia as a major military threat: 47% say this now,compared with the 39% who said the same last year.
Among Germans,57% of those who support CDU/CSU (Merz’s party) and 64% who support the Social Democratic Party (coalition partner) say Russia is a major threat to their security. But around three-in-ten who support AfD (the right-wing populist party with the second most seats in parliament) agree that Russia is a major military threat (28%).
Additionally, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are 10 percentage points more likely than Republican and Republican-leaning independents to see Russia as a major military threat to American security (65% vs. 55%), marking a shift from 2024 when 62% of both groups saw Russia as a major threat.
Views of these countries as major threats also vary among Americans by age. Those ages 60 and older are at least 20 points more likely than those ages 18 to 29 to consider china and Russia a major military threat.
China’s influence
Majorities in both countries see China as a major threat to their economy.
Shifting Views of China and U.S. Foreign Aid
When it comes to China’s role in the world, half or more of Americans and Germans think that China’s growing influence is more of a bad thing. Few in both countries consider this a good thing (7%).
The share who says that China’s growing influence is more of a bad thing has declined since 2023 in both countries (-10 in the U.S. and -12 in Germany). This reflects an upswing in views toward China in many countries around the world over the past few years.
Military assistance to Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel
Americans have mixed opinions when asked whether the U.S. should or should not provide military assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia,Taiwan in its conflict with China,and Israel in its war with Hamas.(Our survey was fielded prior to the ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Hamas in early October 2025.)
Americans and Germans Hold Similar Views on Freedom of Expression in Their Countries
A recent study reveals that both Americans and Germans generally perceive the United States and Germany, respectively, as places where individuals are free to express their opinions, even if those opinions are unpopular. However, Americans exhibit more uncertainty when assessing free speech conditions in Germany compared to their own country.
perceptions of Free Speech in the U.S.
Just under half of Americans (48%) believe people are extremely or very free to express their opinions in the U.S., even if those opinions are unpopular. A significant portion (34%) say people are somewhat free, while 12% believe people are not very or not at all free to express unpopular opinions. notably, only 6% of Americans expressed uncertainty about the level of free speech in their own country.
Perceptions of Free Speech in Germany
When looking at Germany, 33% of Americans say people are extremely or very free to express their opinions, even if unpopular. However, a larger proportion (22%) of Americans are unsure about the state of free speech in Germany compared to their assessment of the U.S. This suggests a lack of familiarity or a more cautious approach to evaluating free speech conditions in another country.
German Perspectives
Interestingly, germans share a similar sentiment regarding free speech within their own borders. They generally view people in Germany as freer to express their opinions, even if unpopular, than people in the U.S. Pew Research Center conducted this study in collaboration with the Koerber Foundation.
Global Context of Free Expression
This study is part of a broader examination into global perceptions of free expression. A related report highlights that while free expression is widely considered important globally, many individuals do not believe their own countries fully uphold freedoms of the press, speech, and the internet. You can find more facts on this topic in the Pew Research Center’s report on global attitudes towards freedom of expression.
Key Takeaways:
* Both Americans and Germans generally believe their respective countries offer a high degree of freedom of expression.
* Americans are more confident in their assessment of free speech in the U.S. than in Germany.
* Germans generally perceive greater freedom of expression within Germany compared to the U.S.
* Global perceptions of free expression are complex, with many individuals questioning the extent to which these freedoms are upheld in their own countries.
This research underscores the importance of continued dialogue and vigilance in protecting and promoting freedom of expression worldwide. Future studies will likely explore the factors contributing to these perceptions and the potential implications for democratic values.