Trust and confidence in the U.S. military has fallen 14 percentage points since 2018, according to a survey conducted by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. At the same time, the survey showed that the armed forces remain “the most trusted institution by a large margin.”
The survey also showed that three-quarters of all Americans, representing those who identify themselves as both Republican and Democrat – favor an increase in defense spending. Other findings:
* Concerns about domestic violence are increasing, with 61 percent of all Americans believing that they pose at least as great a risk as those emanating from abroad.
* Nearly two-thirds of all respondents eschew isolationism and favor continued maintenance of overseas military installations.
* Thirty-seven percent of all respondents believe the threat posed by China is increasing. Concern about human rights in China and Russia also is high.
* Most respondents – 55 percent – believe the U.S. is overly reliant on non-allies for national security materials.
The survey was conducted by an independent research firm, which canvassed more than 2,500 adult U.S. citizens between Feb. 4 and 21.