# Why does the UK hate Trump so much? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138 "2019-06-06T19:25:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/1 "2019-06-06T19:25:22Z")
I get that Trump is an easy person to hate. But with the Baby Trump balloons and the tens of thousands showing up at protests, it leaves me with the impression their distaste for Trump is more of a personal nature. Oh and by the way, I’d like to give a tip of the hat to my friends across the pond. You guys know how to snark WAY better than us Yanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/2 "2019-06-06T19:40:47Z")
I assume hating the US president (in a mundane, almost joyful way) is kind of the default for the UK public – Obama was an abberation due to his political skills and charisma. Trump’s personally disgusting nature and extreme hateability just takes it up to 11. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/3 "2019-06-06T19:42:08Z")
Because they’re smarter than we are? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/4 "2019-06-06T19:43:13Z")
With the notable exception of Obama, most Brits seem to dislike/hate American politicians in general. They don’t even like Canada’s leader. [This survey](https://www.newsweek.com/how-popular-donald-trump-uk-presidents-favorability-rating-far-lower-barack-obamas-1441803) found 21% approved of Trump. \*"U.K. support of almost every other foreign politician outside of Obama was notably low. In second place among public popularity is Hillary Clinton, who only enjoyed favorable opinions among 29 percent of U.K. residents in the YouGov surveys. Just behind her in third place was Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who also only had a 29 percent favorable rating. Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders ranked below Trump in the U.K. in terms of positive opinions, with only 19 percent expressing a favorable rating."\* No idea what’s got their kippers in a twist about U.S. political figures. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/5 "2019-06-06T19:48:29Z")
They’re still mad about the tea. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/6 "2019-06-06T19:53:39Z")
Confidence in Trump is higher in the UK than some other European countries. [Here’s some data](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2018/10/01/trumps-international-ratings-remain-low-especially-among-key-allies/) from 2018 on the question of “confidence in the U.S. president to do the right thing regarding world affairs”. UK: 28% Germany: 10% France: 9% Spain: 7% A [graph](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2018/10/01/trumps-international-ratings-remain-low-especially-among-key-allies/pg_2018-10-1_u-s-image_0-5/) in the link shows the stark difference between European views of Obama, who they had overwhelmingly confidence in, and G.W. Bush and Trump, who they most certainly did/do not. Poor confidence in Trump is not confined to Europeans, and is mirrored on a global scale. A [2017 global poll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_on_the_Donald_Trump_administration#Global_polls) found “a median of just 22% has confidence in Trump to do the right thing when it comes to international affairs”. This compares to a 64% rate of confidence for his predecessor Barack Obama. The evidence would suggest that the question should not be “why is Trump hated so much in X”, but rather, “why is Trump not hated so much in some parts of America”? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/7 "2019-06-06T19:57:07Z")
Trump has behaved very badly in the UK, esp. in regards to his golf club in Scotland. He became the role model of terrible behaving ~wealthy American. Widely seen as a whiny jerk and a complete buffoon. All this before there was any hint of him running for President. His antagonism to traditional allies like the UK just increased the hate. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/8 "2019-06-06T19:59:42Z")
I think he’d be fairly described as a “yob” in the UK. Which, incidentally, means “fuck” in Russian. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/9 "2019-06-06T20:04:03Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Trump has behaved very badly in the UK, esp. in regards to his golf club in Scotland. He became the role model of terrible behaving ~wealthy American. > > Widely seen as a whiny jerk and a complete buffoon. All this before there was any hint of him running for President. > > His antagonism to traditional allies like the UK just increased the hate. Widely seen as a whiny jerk and a complete buffoon. They got that right. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/10 "2019-06-06T20:08:37Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > … > Widely seen as a whiny jerk and a complete buffoon. All this before there was any hint of him running for President… And long before he bragged to Prince Charles: ‘Well, the United States right now has among the cleanest climates there are based on all statistics.’ ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/11 "2019-06-06T20:14:50Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > “a complete buffoon” While he may not be a “complete” buffoon, like Trump, the fact that Boris Johnson is the favorite to become the next British Prime Minister shows that being a buffoon is not seen, by British voters, as an impediment to reaching the highest office. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/12 "2019-06-06T20:29:32Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > While he may not be a “complete” buffoon, like Trump, the fact that Boris Johnson is the favorite to become the next British Prime Minister shows that being a buffoon is not seen, by British voters, as an impediment to reaching the highest office. The electorates that could make Johnson the next PM aren’t _at all_ representative of the entire UK. Mind you, his parliamentary constituents voted for him, and so did London for his stint as Mayor, so point taken. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/13 "2019-06-06T20:39:49Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > While he may not be a “complete” buffoon, like Trump, the fact that Boris Johnson is the favorite to become the next British Prime Minister shows that being a buffoon is not seen, by British voters, as an impediment to reaching the highest office. I’m telling you, they’re still butt-hurt about the tea. It was the beginning of the end of the sun never setting on the British Empire. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/14 "2019-06-06T20:44:09Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > It was the beginning of the end of the sun never setting on the British Empire. The Empire had hardly got going in 1776! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/15 "2019-06-06T20:46:58Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The electorates that could make Johnson the next PM aren’t _at all_ representative of the entire UK. Mind you, his parliamentary constituents voted for him, and so did London for his stint as Mayor, so point taken. Baron, you’re in Scotland. Down here in the south it feels as if Johnson is unstoppable. I feel sick. On that subject - back to Trump. Just an opinion, but as far as this country goes I think there’s something for everyone to hate. The left hate him because he is of the far right. Moderates hate him because he’s an extreminst. And the right hate him because he’s a foreigner (and what’s more an upstart American). Greens hate him for his environmental policies. Populists hate everyone who isn’t one of their own. Have I missed anyone out? j ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/16 "2019-06-06T20:48:27Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > I get that Trump is an easy person to hate. > > But with the Baby Trump balloons and the tens of thousands showing up at protests, it leaves me with the impression their distaste for Trump is more of a personal nature. > Oh and by the way, I’d like to give a tip of the hat to my friends across the pond. You guys know how to snark WAY better than us Yanks. 🙂 FAKE NEWS: **I kept hearing that there would be “massive” rallies against me in the UK, but it was quite the opposite. The big crowds, which the Corrupt Media hates to show, were those that gathered in support of the USA and me. They were big & enthusiastic as opposed to the organized flops!** ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/17 "2019-06-06T20:49:03Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The Empire had hardly got going in 1776! 😛 You know how it is when you’re at a party and then one guest leaves. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/18 "2019-06-06T20:50:47Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The electorates that could make Johnson the next PM aren’t _at all_ representative of the entire UK. Now where have I heard that sort of thing before? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/19 "2019-06-06T20:52:31Z")
In a nutshell; massive wanker. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138/20 "2019-06-06T20:54:09Z")
I think it’s also that they’re watching the rise of a new Hitler, and their experience of the previous one is a lot more personal than ours. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-uk-hate-trump-so-much/835138.md?page=2)