Americans become more isolationist even as they prefer strong military, global leadership: poll

A majority of Americans believe the U.S. should focus more on issues at home and withdraw from foreign affairs, despite majorities also believing in an involved U.S. global leadership and the need for a strong military.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans, 65%, believe the U.S. would be “better served by withdrawing from international affairs and focusing more attention on problems here at home,” according to the results of a Ronald Reagan Institute poll shared exclusively with Fox News Sunday.

While the result would seem to indicate more isolationist feelings among Americans, the same survey found that large majorities also believe in strong involvement in foreign affairs. Over three-fourths, 76%, of respondents indicated they agree that U.S. leadership and engagement in international events is “essential” for boosting the economy and securing favorable trade arrangements.

A nearly identical amount, 74%, indicated they believe it is important for the U.S. to stand up for human rights and democracy around the world, while 85% indicated it was important for the U.S. to maintain a strong military that can maintain peace and prosperity both at home and around the world.

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According to Rachel Hoff, the policy director at the Ronald Reagan Institute, the results indicate that Americans “don’t think they should have to choose between domestic priorities and international leadership.”

“They want our leaders to focus on problems here at home and also maintain a strong military, promote international trade, and defend human rights abroad,” Hoff added. “Ultimately, they don’t want the United States to withdraw from the world – they want us to lead.”

The poll comes as debate over how involved the U.S. should be in defending Ukraine from Russia’s invasion continues to rage, with some arguing that the billions of dollars spent equipping the Ukrainian military would be better spent on domestic issues.

But according to the Reagan Institute survey, a majority of Americans, 59% say they support sending military aid to Ukraine, compared to 30% who oppose it. Another 11% indicated they were unsure.

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Americans also believe it is in the best interest of the U.S. that Ukraine win its conflict against Russia, with 75% saying it is important Ukraine win compared to 17% who indicated it was unimportant.

Americans also indicated it was important for U.S. foreign policy to focus on countering Chinese military power, with 82% indicating the issue should either be a major or minor focus.

Other issues respondents believed should be a focus of U.S. foreign policy included promoting freedom and democracy in authoritarian countries (71%), pushing for nuclear disarmament (81%), negotiating favorable trade deals for the U.S. (88%), countering Chinese economic power (78%), fighting terrorist networks (92%), protecting human rights in other countries (82%), preventing countries that do not have nuclear weapons from acquiring them (87%), protecting U.S. jobs and companies (94%), and working to limit climate change (71%).

The survey, which was conducted between May 30 and June 6, sampled 1,254 and had a margin of error of ±2.8%.