Asking Brits Who They Would Vote for in the US Election

Investigative street journalist Nick Shirley took his signature boots-on-the-ground reporting style across the Atlantic in a video published on August 17, 2024, capturing the candid political opinions of British citizens regarding the upcoming United States presidential election. The video, which has garnered an impressive 652,551 views, reportedly features a series of unscripted street interviews with members of the British public, asking them a straightforward yet revealing question: who would they vote for if they had the chance to cast a ballot in the U.S. presidential race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris?

According to the video’s description, Shirley ventured out to speak directly with British citizens, capturing what appears to be a wide range of political opinions and reactions from everyday members of the public. The exercise, while not a formal poll or scientific survey, offers an interesting window into how international observers — specifically those from one of America’s closest allies — perceive the two major candidates vying for the presidency of the United States.

Nick Shirley, who has built a loyal following of 1.7 million YouTube subscribers through his direct, unfiltered style of public engagement journalism, reportedly used this video to explore transatlantic political sentiment at a particularly pivotal moment in American electoral history. The video was published in August 2024, a period when the U.S. presidential race between former President Donald Trump and then-Vice President Kamala Harris was intensifying, making the timing of Shirley’s street interviews especially relevant to global political discourse.

Shirley’s approach, as described, involves engaging directly with members of the public rather than relying on institutional sources or official statements. This methodology, central to his brand of citizen journalism, allows him to reportedly capture unfiltered and sometimes surprising viewpoints that might not surface through traditional media channels. The British public, as captured in the video, apparently offered a variety of political opinions and reactions — suggesting that sentiment was not uniformly aligned in any one direction.

The significance of asking British citizens about U.S. electoral preferences cannot be understated. The United Kingdom and the United States share what is often described as a ‘special relationship,’ rooted in shared history, language, culture, and military alliances. As such, British public opinion on American political figures is often seen as a meaningful barometer of broader Western sentiment toward U.S. leadership. Shirley’s video appears to tap into this dynamic by going directly to the streets and asking ordinary people — not politicians or pundits — what they actually think.

With over 652,000 views, the video clearly resonated with a broad audience, suggesting widespread curiosity about how America’s democratic process is perceived abroad. Whether viewers were drawn in by agreement, disagreement, or simple curiosity about British perspectives, the video appears to have sparked significant engagement and discussion.

Nick Shirley states through his video documentation that the interviews capture various political opinions, indicating that the responses were diverse rather than one-sided. This diversity of viewpoint is consistent with Shirley’s broader editorial approach, which reportedly prioritizes authentic public voices over curated narratives.

While this particular video does not focus on government fraud or taxpayer abuse — topics central to much of Shirley’s investigative catalog — it reflects the full scope of his journalistic practice, which includes political street interviews alongside his more hard-hitting investigative work. The video serves as a reminder that public opinion journalism, when conducted transparently and authentically, can provide valuable insight into how global citizens engage with and interpret democratic processes beyond their own borders.

In Nick Shirley’s Words

“According to Shirley’s video description, British citizens on the street were asked directly who they would vote for in the U.S. presidential election between Trump and Kamala Harris. [Paraphrased from video description]”

— Nick Shirley

“Shirley reports that the interviews captured various political opinions and reactions from members of the British public, suggesting a diverse range of viewpoints rather than a uniform sentiment. [Paraphrased from video description]”

— Nick Shirley

“Nick Shirley states that the video documents street interviews with British citizens, continuing his signature approach of engaging directly with everyday members of the public to capture unfiltered perspectives. [Paraphrased from video description]”

— Nick Shirley