Poll reveals disconnect between American public and US foreign policy

Aug 9

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Growing skepticism is shaping American views on international aid, especially regarding Ukraine. According to a poll released Thursday, Aug. 8, by Defense Priorities and YouGov, most Americans are hesitant to provide unconditional aid to Ukraine amid doubts about its ability to succeed against Russia.

This unease reflects broader concerns that U.S. foreign policy may not align with public sentiment on key international issues, including the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, and tensions between China and Taiwan.

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In the Ukraine-Russia conflict:

80% of respondents feel U.S. aid to Ukraine should be conditional or reduced.
52% doubt Ukraine’s capability to win the war against Russia.
42% expect the conflict to end through negotiations or a cease-fire, while only 13% think Russian forces might collapse.
54% oppose deploying NATO troops to Ukraine for training due to potential risks.

On China-Taiwan relations:

30% of respondents support U.S. military intervention to defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion.
44% prioritize avoiding war with China over Taiwan’s political autonomy, favoring regional peace and stability.

Regarding Israel-Hamas and regional stability:

47% of Americans prefer the U.S. use its influence to prevent Israel from expanding the conflict to Lebanon by engaging with Hezbollah.
81% oppose committing U.S. troops to defend Saudi Arabia, indicating strong resistance to U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts that do not directly impact national security.

The survey of 1,000 adults underscores a preference for diplomacy over military action in U.S. international affairs, advocating a cautious approach to global involvement.

Tags: China, Foreign aid, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, People’s Republic of China, Russia, Russian Defense Ministry, Taiwan, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Ukraine Defense Ministry

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

GROWING SKEPTICISM IS SHAPING AMERICAN VIEWS ON INTERNATIONAL AID — PARTICULARLY CONCERNING UKRAINE. A DETAILED POLL BY DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND YOUGOV SHOWS A STARK DIVIDE: A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE HESITANT TO PROVIDE UNCONDITIONAL AID TO UKRAINE AMID DOUBTS ABOUT their CHANCES AGAINST RUSSIA.

THIS UNEASE MIRRORS WIDER DISCONNECTS BETWEEN PUBLIC SENTIMENT AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY — SPANNING CRITICAL ISSUES FROM THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA CONFLICT AND TENSIONS ACROSS THE TAIWAN STRAIT, TO THE ONGOING ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR.

IN THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA CONFLICT:

A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY, 80-PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS, BELIEVE U.S. AID TO UKRAINE SHOULD BE CONDITIONAL OR REDUCED, REFLECTING WIDESPREAD SKEPTICISM ABOUT UKRAINE’S ABILITY TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST RUSSIA.

52-PERCENT BELIEVE UKRAINE CANNOT WIN THE WAR AGAINST RUSSIA.

ONLY 13-PERCENT BELIEVE RUSSIAN FORCES MIGHT COLLAPSE, WHILE 42-PERCENT EXPECT THE CONFLICT TO END THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS OR A CEASEFIRE.

OVER HALF OF THOSE POLLED OPPOSE DEPLOYING NATO TROOPS TO UKRAINE FOR TRAINING, CITING RISKS OF A RUSSIAN NUCLEAR STRIKE ON A U.S. CITY.

ON CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS:

JUST 30-PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS SUPPORT U.S. MILITARY INTERVENTION TO DEFEND TAIWAN IN THE EVENT OF A CHINESE INVASION, HIGHLIGHTING CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL COSTS OF SUCH A CONFLICT.

44-PERCENT FAVOR AVOIDING WAR WITH CHINA OVER SUPPORTING TAIWAN’S AUTONOMY, SUGGESTING A PREFERENCE FOR PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE REGION.

REGARDING ISRAEL-HAMAS AND REGIONAL STABILITY:

NEARLY 50-PERCENT OF AMERICANS URGE THE U.S. TO USE ITS INFLUENCE TO PREVENT ISRAEL FROM EXPANDING ITS CONFLICT INTO LEBANON BY ENGAGING WITH HEZBOLLAH, SHOWING A PREFERENCE FOR DIPLOMATIC RESTRAINT.

WHILE 81-PERCENT, OPPOSE COMMITTING U.S. TROOPS TO DEFEND SAUDI ARABIA, HIGHLIGHTING STRONG RESISTANCE TO U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN MIDDLE EASTERN CONFLICTS THAT DO NOT DIRECTLY IMPACT NATIONAL SECURITY.

THIS SURVEY OF 1,000 ADULTS INDICATES MANY AMERICANS PREFER DIPLOMACY OVER MILITARY ACTION WHEN IT COMES TO INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, SHOWING A CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO GLOBAL INVOLVEMENT.

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