While the US celebrates Independence Day, a fresh look at Romania’s online landscape highlights how security topics, cultural references and diplomatic developments shape how Americans are perceived on the web.
In the past month, Romanian chatter about the US has read like a steady stream of security-focused headlines, occasionally interrupted by glimpses of personality or the rare pop culture twist.
At its core are four closely linked themes that shape this conversation: Donald Trump’s strong presence in US institutional news, the Iran-related developments that have brought this country more attention than before, the Euro-Atlantic ties seen around the NATO Summit in The Hague where Romania’s role stands out, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, which keeps Vladimir Putin at the center of intense coverage.
Most mentions of America keep a neutral and factual tone, while among the remaining ones, critical views slightly outweigh positive remarks.
Negative sentiment, reflected in the language surrounding certain mentions, tends to gather around figures like Donald Trump, Russia and Iran, while the few positive tones come through lighter stories such as Tom Cruise’s upcoming honorary Oscar or Coco Gauff’s historic win at Roland Garros. The Atlantic Council’s plan to open a regional office in Bucharest, along with Donald Trump’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize for mediation efforts, adds more variety to the US-related topics being talked about.
Taken together, these trends paint a picture of Romania’s recent online space where the United States is still seen mostly through the prism of security, but occasional cultural highlights and diplomatic steps add a layer of soft power to the narrative.
Disclaimer: The insights and graphs quoted above were extracted from a report written by the CPD team using NewsVibe data. The report can be accessed at civicparticipation.ro.
