Why The Rest of the World Laughs at America
Why The Rest of the World Laughs at America
Just a moment...
Recent global reactions show the world's diminishing respect for American leadership, particularly following Trump's 2024 election victory and subsequent actions in 2025.
International polling reveals a dramatic decline in America's global standing, with only 46% of people across 29 countries believing the US will have a positive influence on world affairs, down from 59% just months earlier[10]. Even in Canada, traditionally a close ally, positive views of the US plummeted from 52% to just 19%[10].
Trump's 58-minute UN speech in September 2025 drew stony faces from world leaders, a stark contrast to previous years when delegates would laugh at his claims[3]. According to body language expert Peter Collett, "People are taking it much more seriously. Whereas formerly it was a source of amusement when he puffed himself up, now almost everything he has to say has to be taken seriously"[3].
The administration's policies have further eroded America's standing. Massive tariffs imposed on nearly 70 countries have disrupted global trade[18], while Trump's stance on immigration and inflammatory rhetoric about other nations has alienated allies. At the UN, Brazilian President Lula warned of "attacks on sovereignty, arbitrary sanctions and unilateral interventions" becoming the norm[19].
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emerged as a leading European voice opposing American policies, defending migration and open societies while warning about "the door to tyranny"[19]. Meanwhile, Indonesian President Subianto received applause at the UN for declaring "No one country can bully the whole of the human family"[19].
[^10]: Ipsos - America's reputation drops across the world
[^3]: DW - Trump's UN speech no laughing matter as body language shows
[^18]: Yahoo News - Trump Rants About Countries Laughing at America
That this reaction didn't happen during any Bush or Reagan administration is stunning.
Or the Biden administration for that matter.
As some of the replies to your comment show, many only care about aesthetics
As bad those two were, do you really that they even come close to the shitshow that is the Orange Turd???
Unfortunately, the orange turn is just the clown face emoji that the people who are really running America hide behind.
I think if people weren't so self-absorbed, this point in time would be different. And it will get worse, not because people are powerless, but because they're more self-absorbed than ever.
US still has an abundance of coal. Together with the weak monarchic but oil rich Saudi Arabia, the oil rich, but coal poor Soviet Union collapsed. Now there are two alternatives, China's weaker, but socialist coal industry and the much much much stronger solar photovoltaic industry completely dominated by China again.
It's both of these developments that are causing the situation to be normal instead of the weird events of 1989-1992 and 2008.
Well, at least Bush and Reagon also not stupider as the most other world leader and compared to Trump they are Einsteins.
And it's really not the point I was making, either.
I don't remember Bush insulting it's allies like Trump did
Freedom fries? If you're not with us, you're against us? Axis of evil? He wasn't as crude but it was bad.
The dude openly fucking threatened germany for not bombing iraq on command.