British perceptions on Donald Trump in 2018

Donald Trump’s first visit to the United Kingdom as U.S. President in July of 2018 was not without controversy. Occurring during the second year of his presidency, the British population had already formed strong opinions on his role as leader of the free-world, with only 16 percent of people seeing him as a friend to the UK. A survey conducted prior to his arrival showed that 63 percent of Britons thought that he made the world more dangerous, while only 18 percent of people thought that him being President was good for the U.K.

Business as usual?

The United States and United Kingdom have enjoyed close diplomatic relations for several decades, so the U.S President making a diplomatic trip to the UK usually passes by with little incident. In January 2018, several months before Trump’s visit, 45 percent of Britons were supportive of it going ahead, compared with 39 percent who thought it should be cancelled. Nevertheless, opponents of Trump’s policies formed huge protests in central London with a huge inflatable ‘Trump Baby’ as the centerpiece.

‘The art of no-deal’

True to his nature Trump took an unconventional approach to the issue of Brexit, advising the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, to sue the European Union. Among leave voters, Trump’s confrontational approach to negotiations led most of them to believe he would make a success of Brexit, while a further 36 percent thought he was a better leader than Theresa May.