By Ministry of Defense of Ukraine – Anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine (War Ukraine), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89189537
In an election year, candidates promise the foreign policy Americans want, but once in office, their actions often leave voters thinking, “I didn’t vote for that.” To understand where Americans stand on key U.S. foreign policy issues—from Israel-Hamas, Russia-Ukraine, and Taiwan-China to climate change and maintaining America’s military superiority—this article looks at research from several top think tanks and Pew Research.
It’s no surprise that Americans’ foreign policy priorities are shaped by party affiliation, age, race, and demographics.
While different demographics prioritize various foreign policy objectives, overall support for ongoing aid to Ukraine has declined, leading to reduced backing for other international allies and U.S. involvement in world affairs. According to Pew Research, 83% of Americans believe the president should prioritize domestic policy, with only 14% favoring a focus on foreign policy.
The conflicts between Ukraine and Russia, and Israel and Hamas, have deepened partisan and demographic divides in American public opinion. Republicans are increasingly opposed to aid for Kyiv, while most Democrats continue to support it. These divisions made it difficult to pass a recent national security aid package in Congress, with hardline Republicans resisting Ukraine funding and progressive Democrats opposing unconditional military aid to Israel. Speaker Mike Johnson funded both conflicts despite his party’s wishes. Beyond Washington, these disagreements have spilled over onto college campuses, dinner tables, and social media, making this an especially turbulent election year.
Pew Research found that 75% of respondents view the conflicts between Israel and Hamas, as well as tensions between China and Taiwan, as significant to U.S. national interests. Additionally, 31% of Americans prioritize supporting Israel, while 27% feel the same about Ukraine. Over half (53%) believe maintaining the U.S. military advantage is important, and about half also prioritize limiting the power and influence of Russia and China, reflecting the priorities in the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.
Fewer Americans see global climate change (44%) and getting other countries to share the costs of maintaining world order (42%) as top priorities, with a clear partisan divide. While 70% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents view climate change as a primary concern, only 15% of Republicans agree. Conversely, 54% of Republicans prioritize having other countries shoulder more of the burden, compared to just 33% of Democrats.
Pew Research found that 75% of respondents consider the China-Taiwan conflict significant to U.S. national interests. However, Defense Priorities research shows that only 30% believe the U.S. should defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion due to the potential costs. A larger group (44%) agreed that avoiding war with China is more important than Taiwan’s political autonomy. Additionally, 66% think the U.S. should require Taiwan to invest more in its own defense before committing to its protection.
According to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, most racial, ethnic, and generational groups supported sending aid to Ukraine, but support was lower among Black, Hispanic, Millennial, and Gen Z Americans. These groups were also less willing to bear higher living costs for Ukraine to reclaim its territory, preferring the U.S. encourage Kyiv to seek peace. In contrast, Asian, Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AAPI), White, Silent Generation, and Baby Boomer Americans were more likely to believe that U.S. investments in weapon transfers to Ukraine have been worth the cost.
Defense Priorities found that 80% of respondents believe U.S. aid to Ukraine should be conditional, reduced, or cut off entirely. More than half (52%) doubt Ukraine can win the war against Russia. A significant portion (42%) expects the war will end through negotiations or a ceasefire, while 26% believe the fighting will drag on with trench warfare that won’t officially end. Nearly half (47%) agree that the U.S. shouldn’t allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory with U.S. weapons, fearing it could escalate the conflict and risk a direct NATO-Russia confrontation.
Seventy-five percent of Pew Research respondents view the conflict between Israel and Hamas as significant to U.S. national interests. However, most Americans across all racial groups prefer that the United States remain neutral in the Middle East conflict. Black and Generation Z Americans tend to support the Palestinians, believing Israel has gone too far. While other racial and ethnic groups lean toward Israel, White Americans are evenly divided on Israel’s actions, and older Americans are more likely to support Israel’s right to defend itself. Most Americans, except those from the Silent Generation, think the U.S. should apply pressure on Israel if it continues its military operations in Gaza, either by reducing military aid or through diplomatic means.
Defense Priorities found that 47% of respondents believe the U.S. should use its leverage to discourage Israel from expanding the conflict into Lebanon by going to war with Hezbollah, more than double the 20% who disagreed. Additionally, 81% of respondents oppose committing U.S. troops to defend Saudi Arabia.
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