A new poll conducted for The Australia Institute reveals that more than half of Australian voters believe Donald Trump is a greater threat to global security than Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The YouGov poll of 1502 people found more than more than twice as many (59%) Australians now believe Australia’s interests are better served by a more independent foreign policy rather than a closer alliance with the United States (23%). Just one in eight (13%) Australians believe the US is a “very reliable” security ally.
The poll shows a further erosion of confidence in the US under President Trump. A year ago, a similar poll found that 31% of Australians believed Trump was a greater threat to world peace than Putin (27%) and Xi (27%).
Now, 52% feel that Trump is a bigger threat than Putin (17%) and Xi (16%).
Key findings:
More One Nation voters (35%) believe Trump is a bigger threat to world peace than Putin (18%), and about the same number think Xi is the biggest threat (32%).
One third (33%) of Australians now believe the AUKUS security agreement is not in Australia’s best interests.
68% of Australians, including 53% of One Nation voters, oppose Australia’s involvement in the US and Israel’s war on Iran.
Thats not necessarily true.
Its a common pattern of authoritarianism - oligarchs supporting despots in exchange for tax concessions and contracts et cetera.
The system doesn’t readily adjust to the next leader. All that money and support doesn’t necessarily just flow to the next in line. Especially because most despots ensure that there isn’t anyone emerging as a potential replacement.
What can happen, is that people who have been keeping secrets or using their influence in exchange for money or favour stop doing that, and everyone within reach of the top job starts climbing all over everyone else. It could be an absolute bloodbath.