A comprehensive global study that surveyed tens of thousands of people in nearly 100 countries found that the vast majority see the United States as the biggest threat to the world.
At the same time, more and more nations say they prefer China over the US. China’s approval rating has risen dramatically in the Global South, in particular, where support for the US has plummeted.
These were the results of the 2026 Democracy Perception Index, an annual study conducted by a group called the Alliance of Democracies.
The Alliance of Democracies cannot in any way be accused of being “pro-China” or “anti-US”. The organization was founded by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former secretary general of NATO and right-wing ex-prime minister of Denmark.
It is also funded by a Who’s Who of European governmental bodies, major US corporations, US government-linked groups, and even Taiwan.
Some of the organizations that finance the Alliance of Democracies include Palantir, Microsoft, the EU’s European Endowment for Democracy, the right-wing Atlas Network, the US government-sponsored Freedom House, and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.
Despite these links, the group’s 2026 Democracy Perception Index came to some conclusions that will doubtless infuriate hawks and cold warriors in Washington.
The survey asked 23,968 respondents in 84 countries which nation they consider to be “the biggest threat to the world”.
Most people in 65 out of the 84 countries said the United States is the largest danger.
Another 10 countries (almost all in Europe) said Russia is the biggest threat. Seven (in West Asia and North Africa) said Israel. Israel said Iran. Japan said China.
The Democracy Perception Index likewise surveyed people in 97 nations and asked if they think the US should “have military bases in your country”.
Most people in 86 countries said no.
There was only clear support for US military bases in four out of the 97 surveyed nations: Israel, Poland, Puerto Rico, and South Korea.
Popular opinion of the United States has also declined precipitously, according to the survey.
The Democracy Perception Index found that the US has a net negative perception in 74% of the surveyed countries.
The US was only popular in a small handful of nations, like Israel, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, and Nigeria.
The US is most disliked in Europe, West Asia and North Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.
In contrast, the survey found that China is increasingly popular around the world.
Most people in 63 of the 83 surveyed countries said they prefer China over the US.
The report noted that the US has the highest level of support in Israel, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Ukraine — but it noted that these are “exceptions”.
China was especially popular in West Asia, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Moreover, the study asked people in 98 countries what they think about the US war against Iran. (The survey was conducted from 19 March to 21 April 2026, and the US unilaterally launched a war of aggression against Iran on 28 February.)
A plurality of nations, 41 of the 98, supported Iran. Only 28 said they side with the US. (The other 29 were divided or not clear.)
The Democracy Perception Index also asked people in 98 countries if they support Israel or Palestine.
A slightly majority, 51 of the 98, said they back Palestine. Just 17 countries prefer Israel.
Israel has its highest level of support in Ukraine, the US, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, and Panama.
Another question that the survey asked was if people think their country is “heading in the right direction”.
The number one nation, with the highest level of optimism, was China.
The only countries in the western hemisphere where a majority of people said yes were El Salvador and Nicaragua (which is governed by the revolutionary Sandinista Front).
Some of the lowest levels of optimism were in France, Puerto Rico, Lebanon, Germany, and Nigeria.
