Nearly three-quarters of Britons consider the United States a serious threat to global peace, more than double the proportion recorded two years ago, according to a new survey by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), Sky News reports.
The annual British Social Attitudes survey found that 74% of respondents viewed the US as a threat to global peace, compared with 36% in 2024.
The figure is higher than the proportion of Britons who consider China a threat, at 62%, but lower than those who view Russia as a threat, at 89%.
The survey also found that 78% of Britons perceive Israel as a threat to global peace, while 75% hold the same view of Iran.
Sophia Gaston, the report's author, said Britain had undergone a "psychological shift" in recent years due to the war in Europe, instability in the Middle East, strategic competition with China and growing doubts about American leadership.
She said foreign policy and national security had moved to the forefront of public consciousness.
The survey also indicated growing public support for closer relations with western Europe rather than the United States.
Around 42% of respondents said Britain's interests would be best served by closer ties with western Europe, while only 9% favoured a closer relationship with the US.
When asked about Britain's military and defence interests, 37% preferred closer cooperation with western Europe, while 14% favoured the US. Another 39% said both relationships were equally important.
The findings come ahead of a UK-EU summit scheduled to take place in Brussels on November 20, aimed at resetting relations between the two sides.
Gaston said British attitudes towards Europe had become more favourable, with people increasingly recognising the importance of practical cooperation in a world shaped by conflict.
However, she cautioned against interpreting the findings as a preference for Europe over America in defence matters, saying Britons recognised the need for a diversified approach to security alliances.
The survey further found that a record 56% of respondents supported increasing Britain's defence spending, up from 28% two decades ago.
However, attitudes towards military service varied significantly by age.
Only 22% of respondents under 35 considered willingness to serve in the military during a time of need important, compared with 43% of those aged 55 and above.
The British Social Attitudes survey is the UK's longest-running study of public social and political views. NatCen has conducted it annually since 1983.