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A recent survey of over 1,000 Australians reveals a mixed perception of Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States. While 16% of respondents believe his leadership has had positive effects on Australia, a substantial 56% view it as having a negative impact.
The sentiment that the U.S. is largely detrimental to Asia has also intensified since Trump’s return to office, with the percentage of Australians holding this belief rising from 21% last year to 33% this year.
In spite of these concerns regarding Trump’s presidency, the study highlights that Australians still value their country’s alliance with the United States.
Dr. Michael Green, Chief Executive of the United States Studies Centre, commented on the findings: “Although there is widespread unease about President Trump’s second term, Australians continue to support the alliance.”
“This demonstrates the enduring strength of the relationship, regardless of any single administration, though some cautionary signals are present,” Dr. Green added.
Far more of the survey’s respondents thought the alliance makes Australia more secure than those who think it makes us less secure, and more than half disagreed with the idea of withdrawing from the alliance, compared to 17 per cent who agreed.
However, support for the United States in both questions had fallen from the year prior, when Joe Biden was president.
“Over the past four years, the majority of Australians consistently believed that the US alliance makes Australia more secure,” the study found.
“In 2025, only 42 per cent of Australians share this sentiment — a 13 percentage point drop from 2024 (55 per cent) and the lowest levels since USSC polling in 2022.
“Nearly a third of Australians (29 per cent) now believe the alliance makes Australia less secure — a figure that has almost doubled since 2024.”
The polling was released ahead of Albanese’s trip to Washington, where he will finally sit down with Trump in a formal, bilateral meeting.
While the AUKUS pact, Australian defence spending levels, tariffs, and security in the Indo-Pacific region could all be raised during the summit, critical minerals could also emerge as a key talking point for the two leaders.
“When it comes to critical minerals, Australia has so much to offer the world,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said in Washington this morning.
“We know that American companies desperately need critical minerals, and Australia is very well placed to service that need…
“No doubt it will be part of the discussions that Prime Minister Albanese has with President Trump next week.”