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People take part in an anti-U.S. protest in Paris, France, on January 3 (local time), after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States had struck Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro. / Reuters·Yonhap.

A new survey shows European trust in the United States has fallen to a record low, with growing calls to reduce reliance on U.S. security and strengthen Europe’s own defense capabilities.

According to a poll released on June 10 (local time) by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), only 11% of respondents across 15 European countries said they consider the U.S. an ally. Reuters reported this marks a sharp decline from 22% in November 2024 and 16% six months ago.

Published ahead of the G7 and NATO summits, the findings highlight weakening confidence in the U.S. as a reliable security partner. In most countries surveyed, skepticism prevailed when asked whether the U.S. would defend them in case of conflict.

Falling trust in Washington is fueling Europe’s independent security push. Support for increasing defense spending rose by 4 percentage points compared to last year, though in Italy a majority still opposed higher military budgets.

Opinions diverged on how to fund and equip defense. Forty‑seven percent backed issuing EU‑level joint bonds to finance defense plans, with strong support in Portugal, Denmark, and the Netherlands. In Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden, many favored reducing reliance on U.S. arms and buying European equipment. Poland was the only country where more than half supported expanding purchases of U.S. weapons, while Germany, Italy, and Hungary showed evenly split views.

Cutting domestic welfare or public spending to fund defense was strongly rejected in Italy, Austria, and Germany.

Meanwhile, in all surveyed countries except Bulgaria, a majority expected U.S.–Europe relations to improve after President Donald Trump leaves office.

The survey was conducted in May 2026 by Mandate Research and YouGov, covering 15 European nations—Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Estonia, and the United Kingdom—through mixed research methods among adults aged 18 and older.

                                                                                                            Lee Jung‑eun