The Australia Institute (TAI) surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,009 Australians about President Donald Trump, security and the US–Australia alliance. The result’s were published this week. 

One of the key finding was that more Australians prefer a more independent foreign policy  than prefer a closer alliance with the United States.

The poll’s key findings are summarised below:

• Three in 10 Australians (31%) think Donald Trump is the greatest threat to world peace, more than chose Vladimir Putin (27%) or Xi Jinping (27%).
• Most women (56%) feel less secure in Australia since the election of Donald Trump; only 13% of women feel more secure.
• More Australians prefer a more independent foreign policy than prefer a closer alliance with the United States (44% v 35%).
• Half of Australians (48%) are not at all confident that Donald Trump would defend Australia’s interests if Australia were threatened, compared to only 16% who are very confident that he would do so.
• Half of Australians (51%) think Donald Trump’s election is a bad thing for the world, twice as many as think it is a good thing (25%).

The full report can be accessed here.

An interview with TAI’s Emma Shortis on Radio National Breakfast about the poll’s findings can be found here.

Photo above: Dr Emma Shortis, Director of International and Security Affairs, The Australia Institute