Lowy Institute Poll Shows Plunge in Australian Trust in Trump

The latest annual poll from the Lowy Institute reveals a significant decline in Australian confidence in U.S. President Donald Trump. Only 21 percent of respondents trust Trump to act correctly in world affairs, marking the lowest level of confidence in any U.S. president in the history of the institute's polling. This figure is statistically identical to the trust Australians place in Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

A majority of Australians now report feeling unsafe globally, citing threats from authoritarian states, cyberattacks, and the potential for a U.S.-China war. While the AUKUS pact and the general U.S. alliance remain solid, 54 percent of respondents expect China to eventually displace the United States as the dominant global superpower.

Domestically, the poll indicates rising anxiety, with 55 percent of Australians stating the country has too many immigrants. Sam Roggeveen, the institute's director of international security, emphasized that China's expanding nuclear and naval capabilities require a serious response in Australian defense planning.