--- title: Donald Trump Less Popular Than Vladimir Putin in France Poll description: President Donald Trump has fewer fans in France than Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a new survey canonical: https://time.com/4775498/donald-trump-unpopular-france-vladimir-putin/ author: Jennifer Calfas article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-11T11:34:27.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:02:00.033Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Trump Is More Unpopular in France Than Vladimir Putin og:description: A large majority of French voters don't have good feelings about Trump og:url: https://time.com/4775498/donald-trump-unpopular-france-vladimir-putin/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt34f37c69d17c1830/6988cb10196cf4630203fe3c/rts149ce.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3500 og:image:height: 1969 og:image:alt: U.S. President Donald Trump stands in the Oval Office following an interview with Reuters at the White House in Washington og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Trump Is More Unpopular in France Than Vladimir Putin twitter:description: A large majority of French voters don't have good feelings about Trump twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt34f37c69d17c1830/6988cb10196cf4630203fe3c/rts149ce.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # President Trump Is More Unpopular in France Than Vladimir Putin > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=3b8598a0-072c-47ec-abab-5123c24ae45a&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: In His Words: Donald Trump on Russia [Watch (HLS stream): In His Words: Donald Trump on Russia](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/xFwMpNTD.m3u8) (1:52)  _Published 2017-02-15. Trump’s ties with Russia have become the focus of attention after Michael Flynn’s resignation as National Security Advisor_ by [Jennifer Calfas](https://time.com/author/jennifer-calfas/) ## Jennifer Calfas May 11, 2017 11:34 AM UTC Trump’s ties with Russia have become the focus of attention after Michael Flynn’s resignation as National Security Advisor by [Jennifer Calfas](https://time.com/author/jennifer-calfas/) ## Jennifer Calfas May 11, 2017 11:34 AM UTC [President Donald Trump](http://time.com/donald-trump-after-hours) doesn’t have many fans in France. Almost 82% of [French voters](http://time.com/4742090/john-oliver-france-election-donald-trump/) view Trump unfavorably, according to a recent [Suffolk University poll](http://www.suffolk.edu/documents/SUPRC/5%5F4%5F2017%5Fenglish%5Ffinal%5Fmarginals.pdf). That means Trump is more unpopular France than [Russian President Vladimir Putin](http://time.com/4774420/vladimir-putin-james-comey-fired-russia/), who 70% of French voters view unfavorably. Other world leaders also have better reputations among French voters, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (with about 43% viewing him unfavorable), British Prime Minister Theresa May (about 40%) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (just 22%). [Former President Barack Obama](http://time.com/4772781/barack-obama-italy-politicians-you-deserve/) was the most popular of current and former world leaders measured in the study with just 7% of French voters viewing him unfavorably. The survey was released last week just before France [elected](http://time.com/4769931/emmanuel-macron-wins-french-election/) centrist [Emmanuel Macron](http://time.com/money/4770379/emmanuel-macron-french-president-wealth-net-worth-rich/) — who was the most popular candidate among French voters surveyed, though 51% of them viewed him unfavorably, compared to 68% who viewed his far-right opponent [Marine Le Pen ](http://time.com/4755192/france-le-pen-election-2017/)unfavorably. The Suffolk University survey of 1,094 French voters, conducted between April 28 and May 2 ahead of the French election, had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. ## Transcript As far as Putin is concerned, I think Putin has been a lot stronger leader for Russia. I mean. he's been a lot stronger than our leader, that I can tell you. [ MUSIC ] Putin says' Trump is great. And Trump not. No no Putin. Now I don't know Putin. Well, we did do 60 minutes together. Now we weren't together but he was on, I was on the same night. We got great ratings by the way. [ MUSIC ] He's running this country and at least he is a leader. You know, unlike what we have in this country . >> But again, he kills journalist that don't agree with him. Well, I think our country does a plenty of killing also, Joe, so you know. I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC. She's saying Russia, Russia, Russia. But I don't Maybe it was. I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, okay? [ CROSSTALK ] No idea whether it's Russia, China, or anybody else. I am not quoting myself. She has no idea. I am quoting 17 intelligence. Hillary you have no idea. Do you doubt? Our country has no idea. She doesn't like Putin because Putin has outsmarted her At every step of the way. [ MUSIC ] As far as hacking, I think it was Russia, but I think we also get hacked by other countries and other people. Will I get along with him? I have no idea. He's a killer, though. It's very possible I won't. Putin's a killer. A lot of killers, we got a lot of killers. 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