Confidence in the US military lowest in 25 years

Gallup conducted a poll in June measuring confidence in public institutions. They found that confidence in the military dropped to a level it was at a quarter of a century ago. The drop in confidence with the Republicans, as well as with the Democrats, was based on their respective political perceptions. Confidence in the military increased during the Ronald Reagan years, in the aftermath of the Gulf War, and in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 2001.

From Gallup:

At 60%, confidence in the military was last this low in 1997, and it hasn’t been lower since 1988, when 58% were confident. From the late 1970s to the early 1980s — during the Cold War and amid threats to U.S. power, including the Iran hostage crisis — between 50% and 58% of Americans were confident in the military. Confidence generally improved during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s. It then surged after the Gulf War victory (to a record-high 85% in 1991) and again after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Confidence generally held above 70% for the next two decades, until dipping to 69% in 2021 and declining further since then, following the poorly executed exit from Afghanistan.

Republican Confidence in Military Slumps
Throughout nearly all of the past 48 years, Republicans have been the most likely to express confidence in the military, and they remain so today — but the rate has declined by over 20 percentage points in three years, from 91% to 68%.

Independents’ confidence has dropped nearly as much — by 13 points, from 68% to 55% — and now independents have less confidence than Democrats do. While Democrats’ confidence rating did rise after President Joe Biden assumed office, those gains have disappeared in the past year.

Gallup and the Military Times provide the balance of the story.

Category: Military issues