Pandemic shreds US image, survey finds

The United States' reputation lies in tatters, in part because of its handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic, a new survey claims.

The analysis, published on Monday by the German Marshall Fund and the Bertelsmann Foundation, found the nation's standing internationally is now far below pre-pandemic levels, and many people no longer see the country as the world's leading power.

Many respondents were shocked that almost 600,000 US citizens had died as a result of the pandemic, the report said. They added that China's reputation had risen slightly during the same period.

The study, which quizzed people in 11 countries, concluded: "The first three months of the Biden administration have not affected French and German views of US influence in the world."

It noted that US research papers released in March found there were around 400,000 avoidable deaths in the US during the presidency of Joe Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump.

The Reuters news agency quoted the study as saying: "These numbers are in line with the results of the 2020 survey, which had fallen by about 10 points from the pre-pandemic numbers."

Wrong belief on prestige

The study found people in the US wrongly believed their nation's prestige had returned and surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Biden will be able to see for himself how his administration is perceived within Europe later this week when he ventures out on his first overseas trip as president.

He is set to arrive in London on Wednesday for talks with Britain's prime minister and for a G7 summit before heading to the European mainland for talks with leaders from the European Union and for a face-to-face meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

The online survey of 1,000 adults in each of the 11 countries studied was conducted between March 29 and April 13. Opinions were collected in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

A staggering 76 percent of people in Poland said they no longer look upon the US as a reliable partner. That sentiment was shared by 67 percent of people in the UK, 60 percent of people in France, and 51 percent of Germans.

Much of the damage to the US' reputation was reportedly done during the Trump years, when the nation left many international organizations and questioned the validity of others.