Experts aren't sure Trump actually knows how unpopular he is in Britain and elsewhere around the world

Trump apparently doesn't see the protest in front of him
(Image credit: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)

People who keep tabs on public opinion outside the U.S. tend to roll their eyes when President Trump insists that America is more respected around the world now or, as he did in a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday, that he is cheered enthusiastically by citizens in other countries. "To Trump's critics, the display showcased a president refusing to come to grips with the reality that he remains deeply unpopular around the world and that perceptions of U.S. global leadership have plummeted during his 2.5 years in office," The Washington Post notes. But Trump may not actually know this.

"Trump has sparked protests during several of his trips abroad, but he often has attempted to schedule his itineraries to avoid encountering the public," the Post reports. In London, where an estimated 75,000 people protested Trump on Tuesday — including projecting polls showing how much less popular he is in Britain than his predecessor, Barack Obama — Trump traveled mostly by helicopter.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.