Live Feeds
● LIVE Updated 2h ago · 10 sources tracked

Poll shows rising trust in global institutions, less comfort with US as global leader

Global trust in the United States and China as world leaders is sinking, according to new polling data. While trust in international institutions is rising, security has become the top priority for international cooperation amid growing global pessimism. Middle powers are now seeking leadership roles due to distrust of both the US and China. Additionally, trust in these powers to regulate AI remains tied to overall favorability, with many people preferring their own country as a regulator.

🎙️

Listen to Live Briefing

Real-time synthesized voice briefing · Live Feeds Desk

⏱ ~2 min
Speed:
RSS Source map (10)
⚡ Key Developments & Real-Time Context
Text size:
  • ✓ Trust in both US and Chinese leadership is declining.
  • ✓ Global trust in international institutions is increasing.
  • ✓ Security is the primary priority for international cooperation.
  • ✓ Trust in the US, China, and EU to regulate AI is linked to overall favorability.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 10 independent reporting domains (85% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

A 2026 Rockefeller Foundation survey and accompanying reports reveal a simultaneous decline in trust for US and Chinese leadership alongside rising trust in global institutions.

Live updates

  1. Global Trust Shifts Toward Institutions as US and China Leadership Declines

    Global trust in the United States and China as world leaders is sinking, according to new polling data. While trust in international institutions is rising, security has become the top priority for international cooperation amid growing global pessimism. Middle powers are now seeking leadership roles due to distrust of both the US and China. Additionally, trust in these powers to regulate AI remains tied to overall favorability, with many people preferring their own country as a regulator.

    Why it matters

    This shift indicates a move away from a bipolar world dominated by two superpowers. The decline in US leadership is attributed by some to a recoil from the Trump administration. This environment creates a vacuum that middle powers may attempt to fill.

    What is confirmed

    • Trust in both US and Chinese leadership is declining.
    • Global trust in international institutions is increasing.
    • Security is the primary priority for international cooperation.
    • Trust in the US, China, and EU to regulate AI is linked to overall favorability.

    Still unconfirmed

    • Global cooperation trends signal rising risks for US agriculture.

    What to watch next

    • New regulatory frameworks for AI from the EU, US, or China.
    Sources used for this update (10)
    1. Reuters — Poll shows rising trust in global institutions, less comfort with US as global leader
    2. The Economist — China is not ready for a post-American world
    3. The Rockefeller Foundation — 2026 Polling Data Survey
    4. South China Morning Post — Opinion | The world is not so much embracing China as recoiling from Trump’s US
    5. PR Newswire — New Global Poll: Amid Growing Pessimism, Security Tops Priorities for International Cooperation
    6. Agrolatam — Global Cooperation Poll Signals Rising Risks for U.S. Agriculture
    7. Devdiscourse — Global Sentiment Shifts: Middle Powers Seek Leadership Amid US-China Distrust
    8. جريدة القدس — Declining Trust in US and Chinese Leadership: Rockefeller Su
    9. semafor.com — Global survey finds sinking trust in US, Chinese leadership
    10. www.pewresearch.org — Do people trust China, the U.S. or the EU to regulate AI?
    confidence 85%
📊

Community Sentiment: How do you assess this situation?

Voice your perspective · Real-time aggregated sentiment from the Live Feeds community