America Speaks: Do they think the US will be more respected globally in 2021?

Candice JaimungalSocial Media Contributor
January 12, 2021, 1:00 PM GMT+0

How will the United States fair on the global stage this year? We asked YouGov Chat users if they think America will be more respected globally in 2021. You can join the conversation here.

“The change in our government officials will be appealing to those with whom we have severed relationships.”

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For YouGov Chat users who believe the United States will be more respected on an international level, many point to the new administration and President-Elect Joe Biden.

  • “Because America has a new president that will create harmony around the world.”
  • “This will take some time, but Biden will be more respected by our allies and hopefully by our adversaries.”
  • “The departure of a corrupt President. Biden if nothing else will bring back admiration from other countries.”
  • “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will bring a more professional approach to government. A calm and truthful government.”
  • “Biden will bring us back into key international accords/organizations that Trump pulled out of.”

  • “We will be rid of Trump's administration, and Biden's will be more inclusive and more of a team player with the world, which we need to be.”

“Biden is a pushover. He will make friends with our enemies and enemies of our friends.”

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But not all Chat users are convinced the country will become more respected in the new year. For those who believe the United States will become less respected globally, they too, point to Biden.

  • “President Trump had America headed in the right direction. Now Biden will undo everything that Trump had put in place to make America great.”
  • “Biden is not a strong leader. The world does not respect someone who is not strong.”

  • “They will have no respect for Biden and/or Harris and consider the U.S. as weak.”
  • “Biden is weak and other countries know this - they will take advantage of the USA.”

“We look like fools.”

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Other Chat users say America will be less respected as a result of the election and political division.

  • “We will be viewed as divided and weak because half the country believes the election was valid and half believes there is fraud.”

  • “We will be divided even more.”
  • “Our government is too divided.”
  • “Because this election made a mockery of this country.”

“It will take a long time and a lot of changes before the world starts to change its opinion of us.”

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While both sides seem to point to Biden for different reasons, some users do not believe there will be any changes in how the United States is seen globally this year.

  • “Those who respect the US will continue to do so, and those who don't, won't change.”
  • “Because we haven't changed. Democrats and Republicans are playing the same game.”
  • “America has always received criticism and will continue to do so. And who cares anyway?”
  • “America is still shit. We will continue to be the laughingstock of the developed world.”

  • “Too divided. Both extremes are bad. Both parties seek control of our lives in different aspects.”

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Every day, members of YouGov Chat are asked to share their opinion on a topic in the news. We allow anyone to take part in these chats, and do not display or weight results in real-time. Instead, to make the experience informative but still interactive, the chat displays weighted data from YouGov Direct to show them how the rest of the country voted. This enables us to pose the question to all, while retaining data accuracy and validity when communicating results.


YouGov chat seeks to add to the ‘what?’ (the quantitative poll result) by finding the ‘why?” (qualitative open ends) in a member’s own words. Learn more about YouGov Chat here.

Image: Getty

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