Is the US a bad place to live in peace? The most peaceful countries in 2025—and why the US ranks poorly

Someone get the Nobel Peace Prize out of the cupboard, Donald Trump’s here. Of course, the US President should win the award for being the best bringer of calm and serenity to our humble rock, with 50 wars stopped, 60,000 Palestinians saved, and all immediate nuclear threats averted.

Tell him that, and he’ll believe you. But what’s actually true — despite whether or not Trump cares about just the facts — is that the United States is becoming less and less peaceful under his reign, and is contributing heavily to the instability across the world as it continues to militarise at an alarming rate.

The 2025 Global Peace Index rates the United States as ‘low’ when it comes to “the state of peace” within the borders of the country, citing political instability with other nations during the Trump administration, as well as a high level of military spending that is causing other nations to react.

The U.S. ranks second-to-last globally in terms of peaceful militarisation, only ahead of Israel, which is carrying out a genocide on the people of occupied Palestine.

Overall, the United States of America ranks 128th in the world, sandwiched between Kenya and Ecuador and less peaceful than Rwanda, Vietnam, and Bosnia and Herzegovina — nations that have all suffered major conflicts in the last century.

Across the continents of North and South America, only Mexico and Haiti score less, with the latter — despite being noted as having a “high threat of terrorist attacks” by the UK government — continuing to close the gap on the US.

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Canada sits at the top of the continental rankings, although it has itself experienced a large drop-off in points, with the report noting that “political tensions have intensified with the United States,” as well as the ongoing tariff war... started by Donald Trump. Can we have that medal back, Donald?

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