The US under Donald Trump is perceived more as a threat than an ally. This is according to a "Politico" survey conducted among 6,698 people in six major EU countries between March 13 and 21.
Since returning to power in January 2025, Trump has questioned Washington's commitment to NATO, threatened to annex Greenland and Canada, imposed tariffs on its allies and started a war with Iran, which European countries have refused to join.
Only 12% of respondents in Poland, Spain, Belgium, France, Germany and Italy see America as a close ally, while 36% see it as a threat. By comparison, China is perceived as a threat by 29% of respondents in the six countries.
At the national level, the threat from Washington is greater than that from Beijing in four countries, with only respondents in France and Poland perceiving the threat from China as higher.
Signaling a hardening of views towards the US, the survey shows a deepening contradiction at the heart of European security policy. Voters want Europe to be better armed and more self-reliant as trust in the United States erodes, but appetite for this wanes if defense means personal sacrifice, bigger budgets or indefinite support for Ukraine.
Russia is a clear enemy - it is perceived as a threat by 70% of all respondents.
People in Spain have the most negative views of the United States, with 51% saying Washington poses a threat to Europe - the highest share among those surveyed. Madrid has taken the lead in opposing the war that Trump launched in February against Iran and has been rebuked by the president for its low defense spending.
In Italy, 46% of respondents say the United States poses a threat, a position also supported by 42% of Belgians, 37% of French and 30% of Germans.
Poland, which borders Russia and sees the alliance with the United States as a key security guarantee, is an exception: only 13% of respondents say the United States poses a risk.
The survey also shows support for greater strategic autonomy.
Across the six countries, 76% of respondents say they would support sending their country's military to defend a NATO ally if it were attacked. Support rises to 81% when the scenario involves defending another EU member. In every country surveyed, support for military aid outweighs opposition.
Support without casualties
However, this consensus weakens sharply when the question turns to personal involvement.
Only 19% of respondents said they would be prepared to "take up arms and fight" if their own country were attacked. Nearly half (47%) said they would prefer to participate in non-combat roles such as logistics, medical assistance or civil protection. Another 16% said they would support their country without directly participating, and 12% said they would consider leaving the country.
The gap between political support for defense and individual readiness to fight highlights the challenge facing European governments as they expand their military ambitions and grapple with personnel shortages.
The survey also shows that respondents generally accept the need for a stronger European defense posture even as they remain divided over its funding.
Across the six countries, 86% agree that Europe should develop its own defense capabilities, with 56% strongly agreeing. Support is particularly high in Poland and Belgium (both 95%) and Germany (89%).
Support for deeper military integration is widespread, with 69% of respondents supporting the creation of a common European military force operating alongside national armies. This support ranges from 60% in France to 83% in Belgium.
Yet opinions differ on spending. Across the survey, 37% say their country spends "about the right amount" on defense, while an identical share believe spending is "not enough." Meanwhile, 22% say their country already spends too much.
The differences at the country level are stark. In Germany (40%), France (44%) and Spain (43%), respondents believe defense spending should increase. In Italy, 39% say spending is too high - the highest level among the countries surveyed. Poland stands out, with a majority (56%) believing that current spending levels are about right.
These opinions generally follow current spending levels. Poland plans to spend 4.8% of GDP on defense this year - the highest in NATO and far more than the other countries surveyed.
The data highlights divisions over Europe's support for Ukraine.
Across the six countries, 34% believe Europe is not providing enough support to Ukraine, 31% say the current level is about right, and 30% say Europe is doing too much.
National differences are again stark. In Germany, the largest European aid donor to Ukraine, 45% say Europe is not doing enough. In Italy, which provides the lowest share of Ukraine's GDP for civilian and military aid of the six countries surveyed, 42% say Europe is providing too much support. Spain and Belgium lean towards the "not enough" camp, while France is more evenly split.
Despite these differences, support for collective defense commitments remained strong in all countries surveyed, especially within NATO. The findings contribute to debates about conscription and civilian service as governments look for ways to expand military capacity.
In Germany, support for some form of compulsory service is particularly high. Three-quarters of German respondents (78%) support the return of conscription or the compulsory civilian service that was abolished in 2011. However, after facing resistance from within his coalition, Chancellor Friedrich Merz last year abandoned plans to restore full conscription and instead pushed through a bill aimed at increasing the number of active-duty soldiers to 203,000 by 2031. Support is also strong in Belgium, with 76%, while opinions are more divided in Italy, with 53% in favor, and in Spain, where 54% oppose the idea.