LONDON, July 15 (Bernama-Xinhua) — British public trust in the United States (US) has fallen sharply, with nearly half of Britons now not believing that the country can act responsibly on the world stage, Xinhua reported, citing a survey released on Wednesday.
The British Foreign Policy Group’s 2026 Annual Survey of UK Public Opinion on Foreign Policy found that only 27 per cent of Britons trust the US, down from 53 per cent in 2024, while 49 per cent expressed distrust.
In addition, 49 per cent of respondents said Europe should be Britain’s top priority for international partnerships, compared with 20 per cent who chose the US. Support was particularly strong for closer cooperation with European countries on defence and security, tackling irregular migration, and reducing trade barriers.
The report said the shift towards Europe appeared to be driven more by growing unease about relations with the US than by stronger enthusiasm for the European Union, suggesting that public support could weaken when economic and political trade-offs are involved.
The survey also found declining support for higher defence spending. Although national security remained the public’s top foreign policy priority, support for raising defence spending to three percent of gross domestic product fell from 71 per cent last year to 60 per cent. The figure dropped further when respondents were asked to consider possible cuts to public services.
The report concluded that public consent for difficult foreign policy and security decisions could not be taken for granted as Britain faces a more volatile international environment.
— BERNAMA-XINHUA