Australians have lost trust in Donald Trump but not the US

June 26, 2026 — 6:00pm

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Political leadership can engender hope in a world beset by shifting fears about economic instability, cyberattacks, authoritarian states, terrorism and a possible US-China war, but Australians now rate US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping about as trustworthy as each other.

The Lowy Institute’s annual poll on how Australians view the world found trust in the US had plunged to a record low under the Trump administration. After some 17 months in office, Trump’s impulsive and unpredictable behaviour has resoundingly alienated Australians, with only one in five having faith in him to do the right thing in world affairs. The same poll found one in five of us deem Xi as similarly........

© The Sydney Morning Herald