REAGAN NATIONAL DEFENSE FORUM — As president-elect Donald Trump prepares to reclaim the oval office, a new poll found that while most Americans generally agree the US has a key leadership role to play on a global stage, they can be bitterly divided along political lines over exactly what that means when it comes to global hotspots like Ukraine and Israel.
Each year the Ronald Reagan Institute releases its annual defense and national security poll before high-level officials and key lawmakers descend on Simi Valley, Calif. for a weekend forum. Pollsters this year conducted the survey just after Trump won the presidential election, and sought to shed a bit of light on Americans’ view of the security and defense landscape.
According to this year’s bipartisan survey of more than 2,500 people, 57 percent of Americans believe the US should be more engaged leading international events — a 15 percent jump over 2023 findings.
“The survey found a record high number of Americans supporting US leadership and international engagement — and strong support continues for a global military posture,” the Reagan Institute wrote in a summary report.
“The strong preference for US leadership resonates across voters for both 2024 presidential candidates: six in 10 Trump voters (61 percent) and nearly as many [Kamala] Harris voters (59 percent) say the United States should be more engaged and take the lead,” it later added.
Despite the widespread backing, however, divisive partisanship was apparent on what that should entail with responses swinging on issues like the wars in Ukraine or support for Israel.
Opinions about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, for example, proved more fraught than a year ago. Pollsters reported that 59 percent of participants now support peace negotiations, even if Kyiv was required to cede land to Moscow. And when it comes to providing military aid to Kyiv, there was a slight drop in support from 59 percent last year down to 55 percent this year — with 74 percent of Harris voters backing the deliveries compared with just 42 percent of Trump voters.
At the same time, though, 78 percent of participants reported fears that the war could expand into NATO countries.
Meanwhile in the Middle East, another stark partisan divide emerged over whether Israel should continue military operations inside Gaza or pursue a ceasefire. In total, 45 percent of respondents said they believe Israel has the right to continue military action there until the threat posed by Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran is removed — 64 percent of Trump voters and only 30 percent of Harris voters. In a similar vein, another 45 percent of participants backed a ceasefire with 63 percent of Harris voters in favor versus only 28 percent of Trump voters.
Continued military aid to Israel was a less divisive topic, with 54 percent of Americans favoring continued military aid for Israel that left Trump voters coming in at 67 percent and Harris voters at the 46 percent mark.
As for the Indo-Pacific region where the US continues to focus on China as its top strategic competitor, 61 percent of Americans threw their support behind increasing the US military presence near Taiwan, and 78 percent of Americans supported a regional defense alliance with the island and other Indo- Pacific nations.
“A wide range of issues drive Americans’ perception of China as our greatest adversary, with particular concern about its military ambitions,” the Reagan Institute said in a press release. “When asked to choose their top concern, 28 percent identify China’s military buildup — an eight-point increase from last year.”
When it comes to trust in the US military, respondents were more favorable in their assessment this year, with a five-point hike to 51 percent of Americans reporting a “great deal of trust and confidence in the military.”
“Little partisan difference exists here, with 56 percent of Trump voters and 50 percent of Harris voters expressing high confidence in the military,” the Reagan Institute explained. “There has also been a six-point increase since last year in those under 30 years old who express willingness to serve in the military.”