Within the first 100 days of Donald Trump being in office, his administration has carried out a series of controversial actions: Trump signed an order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, he declared US interest in "reclaiming" the Panama Canal and "getting" Greenland, classified information was found being shared in a Signal group chat, and, among many other things, Trump tried placing "reciprocal tariffs" on dozens of nations and trading partners only for him to put a 90-day pause on them, stirring up fears of a recession.
That said, it should be no surprise that people in other countries who are keeping up with what's happening in America have...opinions. Recently, Redditor u/YoungYggdrasil asked the non-Americans of the Reddit community to share what they and their country really think about the US right now, and they did not hold back:
*."I'm from Hong Kong. America is the political equivalent of a dumpster fire. That, and it's unsafe."
*."South African here. Generally, I think we used to view the US as the leader of the free world, and as a country we should look up to... However, over the last few years, there has been a divide. Right-wing conservatives here still view the US as the best country with the best leader. Meanwhile, most liberals think the US is cooked, and despite having many problems in South Africa, they'd never move to America."
*."I'm from Luxembourg. Past seasons of the US were good, but not perfect. Then, 2016 happened, and it received poor ratings. But after 2024, the entire plot was thrown out the window, and now it feels like America is in its final season.
*."As a Chilean, I really admire American culture when it comes to art, music, and movies. It's honestly a 10/10. Unfortunately, the over-consumerist image often associated with Americans can be a bit off-putting, and the political tendency to impose US culture everywhere is somewhat irritating. For example, here in Chile, we have supermarkets owned by Walmart, and it's quite unpleasant to be encouraged to celebrate the Fourth of July. Like, WTF? "
*."I'm from Denmark. My country has always been very loyal to the US, and it took three months to destroy that relationship."
*."Canadian here. It's not so much the tariffs (though they're not helping), but the threats to our sovereignty. This is not how you treat your supposed 'best friend' and greatest ally. So don't mind us while we look elsewhere for a new bestie and trading partner. Voting for Cheeto Don the first time was foolish, but a second time? Well, you Americans have shown the rest of the world what's in your heart...and it's dark, racist, misogynistic, hateful, and ugly. If Americans can right themselves and return to democracy, be prepared to accept the censure of the world for decades to come. America as an ally and trading partner cannot be trusted."
*."Speaking as a Brazilian, I think Americans live in a bit of a bubble."
*."I'm from Italy. I'd say America's general culture has a big influence, but I'd say Americans' over-obsession with social issues and political shit-talking gets made fun of. Personally, I have conflicting opinions. I love the US, and I've dreamed of moving there since I was a little kid. At the same time, I think the country's own success has made Americans the most spoiled, brainless douchebags I could imagine."
*."Most Scots view America as a bunch of arrogant, selfish bastards."
*."Dutch person here. I think many people here think that your democracy is dying and that America has become an oligarchy on the verge of becoming a dictatorship. Also, among my friends, nobody would be surprised if your country descended into civil war. It looks like the extremists would be pardoned anyway, and many, many people in the US carry some of the most outrageous weapons."
*."I'm from Venezuela. My country is under a military dictatorship that is very happy right now since its political propaganda has always been that America is at fault for everything. Personally, I hate the dictatorship of my country with a passion, and I strongly believe that the US is heading toward that exact same type of dictatorship. It doesn't matter if one is left and the other is right; they use the exact same tactics and follow the same patterns. While civilians are yelling at each other because of their political beliefs, the far right and far left politicians seemingly both work for the same fascist piece of shit."
*."Spain here. Personal opinions aside, the general consensus here is: 'So, they shoot themselves in the foot with a shotgun over and over again and are trying to sell it as a master plan?'"
*."I'm from New Zealand. I'm sorry, but I view America now as ruled by an orange dictator who is royally fucking up the world. I've already lost some of my retirement money due to the stock market crashes, and everything is going to be more expensive for everybody on the planet thanks to the gun-toting far-right weirdos who voted for him."
*."UK here. No country is doing particularly well post-COVID and with the war going in Ukraine; however, Trump is royally screwing things up right now. He might think he can do whatever he wants as 'the most powerful man on the planet,' but in real terms, there are and will be consequences to his actions from the rest of the world. He is alienating the US from the rest of the world, and it's a shame. But that's what happens when someone with a power-hungry mindset gets in such a position. I don't think the rest of the world thought it would actually happen a second time, but it did. I wouldn't want to be a US citizen, especially right now. It's very sad."
*."I'm a German who's lived in the US for an extended period. I view Americans as universally extremist and complacent. Both conservatives and progressives are always trying to break new ground by pushing the envelope to see who can piss each other off harder.... I don't want to equivocate too much since fascists and kleptocrats are obviously far more destructive than neoliberal social progressives, but they share this particular feature: they're complacent in that none of them truly believe that anything destructive can happen at home."
*."I was born in communist Romania and lived my teenage and young adulthood years in a fragile Eastern European democracy. For the last 15 years, I've been a grateful Canadian citizen. As someone who knows first-hand the Russian horror, I just can't comprehend what the world is coming to. How can Americans choose to tie the noose around their necks and burn all the bridges between the US and the sane world?"
*."Icelander here. Americans think they're free and talk about freedom all the time, but they're not free. Your systems suck: healthcare, workers' rights, human rights, education, etc. You think you're the envy of the world, but you're not anymore. Mostly, we feel sorry for you because you're delusional. Yes, you are powerful, have a strong army and cultural influence, and have done great things in the past. We appreciate what you did for us during WWII, and we had a good relationship after you helped us build our country. But with all that is happening now — your threats against our dear friends in Denmark and Greenland, trampling human rights, and everything else Trump is doing — we are sad and disappointed. Some of us are scared you will target us as well. It's interesting, I guess, to watch the fall of an empire."
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