Indonesia leads the US by 14% in friend ratings among Australians
AAP reported on a new YouGov survey commissioned by the Australia Institute that found the United States is increasingly considered a threat, with 42% of Australians viewing the country as one. The poll defined a threat as a nation viewed with caution or suspicion; only half of respondents called the long-time ally a friend, while Indonesia led the US by 14% in friend ratings.
The broader comparison found Australia’s immediate neighbours trusted more than historic allies. Indonesia, described as a close geographic neighbour and emerging partner, was rated a more trusted partner than the United States and led by 14% in the friend category.
Views differed across party groups. Two-thirds of One Nation voters perceived the United States as a friend, with the Coalition close behind. Labor voters were largely split, while only one-quarter of Greens voters viewed the global superpower positively.
Among young Australian voters, only 4% labelled the United States a “close friend,” while more than half considered it a threat.
Only 21% of survey respondents said they had confidence in Donald Trump to “do the right thing” in world affairs. That share was ahead of only Chinese president Xi Jinping, Russian president Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.