TEHRAN – America’s declining soft power is more than an image issue; it’s a major setback in its effort to restore global influence and leadership.

Recent public opinion surveys in the Arab world reveal a sharply negative view of U.S. policies in the region.

A recent report from the Arab Index found that 72% of respondents believed U.S. policies were “negative” or “somewhat negative” while only 16% described them as “positive” or “somewhat positive”.

When it comes to Palestine, nearly 76% of Arabs view U.S. policies as “bad” or “very bad”.

This negative perception has persisted over time, with various American and Arab research centers conducting multiple surveys since 2014. 

The data reveals a deeply rooted and enduring skepticism toward the U.S., signaling a clear loss of one of its most important strategic tools: soft power.

The term “soft power,” coined by Joseph Nye, refers to a country’s ability to achieve its goals through attraction rather than coercion or financial incentives.

Nye defines it as the ability to influence others based on the appeal of a nation’s culture, values, and institutions, instead of relying on force or threats.

Statistical data from various reports reveal the underlying causes of the deterioration in the Arab public’s perception of the U.S.

The lowest point in this negative view came during the Trump administration’s decisions to move the U.S. embassy to occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem) and recognize al-Quds as the capital of the Zionist regime.

This trend continued under President Biden’s administration, particularly with U.S. support for the Zionist regime’s genocide in Gaza up to 2025.

For many Arabs, another major factor for the U.S. losing its credibility was when it condemned human rights abuses in Ukraine while simultaneously supplying the Zionist regime with weapons to crush those same rights in Gaza and Lebanon.

Moreover, the United States lost its persuasive power by relying on “hard power” tools like military interventions, economic sanctions, and unwavering support for the Zionist regime. 

This not only reinforced the regime’s military superiority but also pressured Arab nations to normalize relations with it.

This shift has fostered a sense of threat, with the majority of Arabs now viewing the U.S. as one of the largest sources of regional instability, alongside the Zionist regime.

The loss of soft power is more than a simple “reputation crisis”; it represents a strategic defeat for the U.S. in its effort to reassert global leadership.

In the 21st century, hegemony no longer depends solely on military strength or political control. It also requires legitimacy, gaining the approval, trust, and acceptance of other nations.

As a result, the continuous decline in the image of the United States as a “benevolent power”, a narrative championed by many American theorists in the 1990s, paves the way for powers like China and Russia to expand their influence. 

This shift does not necessarily mean their models are more attractive, but rather that the Arab world now seeks a multipolar system to counter U.S. dominance.

Many Arabs feel that U.S. actions have allowed the Israeli regime’s arrogance to grow and deepened the Palestinian struggle, creating a desire for an alternative path forward.