Pew Survey Finds U.S. Seen as Top Superpower as Views Split on China and Russia

Overview

• A new Pew Research Center survey reports that 57% of U.S. adults name the United States as a militarily and economically dominant superpower, with 44% naming China and 24% naming Russia.
• Americans show no agreement on the number of superpowers, as 11% say none exist, 27% name one, 16% name two, 27% name three or more, and 18% are unsure.
• Party views differ, with 65% of Republicans naming the U.S. as a superpower compared with 53% of Democrats, while Democrats are slightly more likely than Republicans to name China as a superpower.
• Age shapes perceptions, since majorities across all ages see the U.S. as a superpower but younger adults are more likely than older adults to see China and Russia as dominant.
• When people list only one superpower, 69% choose the U.S. and 19% choose China, and when they list two or more, the U.S. and China are most often paired and multipolar answers usually include the U.S., China, and Russia.