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Disapproval of U.S. leadership has peaked in Europe during Donald Trump's presidency, according to new polling.
In a Gallup report, 61 percent of those in Europe asked disapproved of U.S. leadership—a higher amount than any of its previous surveys. In 2016, this was at 37 percent.
The prior peak had been 2018, at 59 percent, and before that was 58 percent in 2008.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment regarding the approval rating from Europe.
Around 1,000 adults were asked in 135 nations worldwide to rate U.S., German and Russian leadership between March 2019 and February 2020 for the latest results.
The average global view of U.S. leadership also remains low, with 42 percent disapproval across respondents, up from 28 percent in 2016.
Its median approval was 33 percent, one point ahead of China and three above Russia. This rating for the U.S. was up slightly from a record low of 30 percent in 2017.
Mohamed Younis, Gallup's editor-in-chief, suggested in the report, titled Rating World Leaders The U.S. vs. Germany, China and Russia, that perceptions of U.S. leadership could drop even further due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Halfway through 2020, both the United States' and China's responses to the coronavirus pandemic have been criticized from East to West. The image of U.S. leadership in particular could seriously suffer as the globe watches U.S. states and the federal government struggle to get infection rates under control," he said.
Travelers from Europe have been barred entry to the U.S. amid the pandemic, except for some specific exceptions, while this block has also been reciprocated by European Union member states. EU nations have begun lifting restrictions, though the U.S. has not been included among those countries given increased access.
Tensions between Europe and the U.S. have risen surrounding trade in recent months, with President Trump previously hitting out at practices he branded unfair.
Trump described Europe as "very, very tough to deal with," earlier this year.
"They've taken advantage of our country... for many, many years. And I told them, we can't do it anymore," he said in an interview with CNBC.
Trump reiterated this stance on trading with Europe in comments made in the Rose Garden earlier this month, claiming the EU was initially set up with the purpose of exploiting the U.S.
"The European Union was formed in order to take advantage of the United States, he said.
"They formed, and they take advantage of the United States. And I know that, and they know I know that, but other presidents had no idea."
He also suggested that the relationship between the U.S. and Europe was good, but trade was the issue.
"The relationship is very good, they just don't treat us very well on trade. They are—they have been very unfair to us over many, many decades. And we're doing that. It's very easy to solve. I was all set to solve it actually, and then we got hit with the plague," he said.
A recent dispute had come over aircraft subsidies, with the U.S. having imposed sanctions on the EU due to subsidies in member states for Airbus.
However, the EU last week said an agreement had been made to ensure all its member states were in compliance with World Trade Organization rulings, insisting U.S. sanctions should be lifted.
The EU has suggested that should this not happen, it will look at taking countermeasures in regards to tariffs to the U.S.
