Finns trust the US almost as little as China and Russia, survey reveals

A new opinion poll shows that Finns’ trust in the United States has fallen to nearly the same low level as their trust in China and Russia, while confidence in other Nordic countries and NATO remains strong.

The survey, conducted by research firm Verian for the Suomi-areena discussion forum and the Nordic Council of Ministers, found that only 4% of respondents expressed trust in the US, compared to 3% for China and 1% for Russia. The results were published on Tuesday.

Antti Lehtinen, CEO of Suomi-areena, described the decline in trust toward the US as striking, noting that it now matches the historically low levels seen with China and Russia. The survey was carried out just before the US strike on Iran, which may have further eroded confidence.

Finnish perceptions of the US have turned sharply negative during Donald Trump’s second term, marked by unpredictability and aggression. A 2025 values and attitudes study by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (Eva) found that half of Finns believe Trump has turned the US from Europe’s ally into its opponent within a short time. Nearly three-quarters now view the US as unstable and unpredictable—double the share from two years earlier.

Despite the US’s central role in NATO, the alliance itself remains the most trusted international institution among Finns. Other Nordic countries also enjoy high confidence, reflecting a broader regional trend.

“We don’t trust the East or the US. Leadership in Europe isn’t particularly strong right now. It’s natural that the Nordic countries are trending,” Lehtinen said, adding that this solidarity ranges from shared pride in Finnish-Swedish band KAJ’s Eurovision success to deeper cooperation on defence.

Trust in Finnish society is also declining, with four in five Finns believing social trust has weakened. However, over half still expect honesty, reliability, and goodwill in personal, social, and civic interactions.

Among domestic institutions, the defence forces, the president, and the police rank as the most trusted, while parliament, the government, and the prime minister fare poorly. Only 3% of Finns believe political parties strengthen societal trust.

Lehtinen suggested Finland’s consensus-based society may be fading, with political debate growing more divisive—partly due to social media algorithms. A March report by Yle highlighted how polarised online discourse now poses a real threat to democracy.