Americans clearly and overwhelmingly support a foreign policy that maintains the United States’ superpower status.
Americans clearly and overwhelmingly support a foreign policy that maintains the United States’ superpower status.
F rom American pushback on China to American support of Ukraine, election season has once again prompted candidates to articulate their views on American foreign policy. This is the right instinct — American foreign policy should be of, by, and for the American people. Yet this year, some are failing. Take Republican Ohio Senate candidate J. D. Vance, who stated, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other,” or Republican Washington House nominee Joe Kent, who called Vladimir Putin’s concerns “very reasonable.” If candidates spoke less and listened more, they would learn that Americans, and Republicans in particular, in fact overwhelmingly support a strong, forward, and principled American foreign policy.
This is especially true when it comes to China. According to a Pew survey from April, a record 82 percent of Americans (89 percent of Republicans, 79 percent of Democrats) now have an unfavorable opinion of China, with 42 percent of Rs considering China to be an enemy of the U.S. Two-thirds of Republicans and 43 percent of Democrats believe it is more important to get tougher on China than to build a stronger relationship on economic issues. A huge majority of Americans see the China–Russia partnership (92 percent), China’s involvement in our domestic politics (84 percent), and China’s military power (85 percent) as serious problems. Perhaps more surprisingly, Americans are also extremely concerned by how the Chinese government treats its own citizens: Last year, Pew found that 82 percent say China’s human-rights policies are a serious problem for the U.S., and 70 percent of Americans believe we should try to promote human rights in China even if it harms economic relations. The American public intuitively recognizes that the most powerful economic and military nation in the world will determine global preferences — and they’d prefer it to be their own.
But the American public goes even further. Nearly 70 percent favor recognizing Taiwan as an independent country. A majority of Americans even support a formal alliance with Taiwan and, for the first time, a majority of Americans support using U.S. troops to defend the island if China were to invade. At a time when both parties have soured on free trade, nearly 60 percent of Americans support signing a U.S.–Taiwan free-trade agreement. Americans are not an isolationist people, but rather an informed citizenry that recognizes the importance of an independent, free, and prosperous Taiwan in preventing China from provoking even greater global conflict.
The same is true when it comes to Russia. Americans overwhelming view Vladimir Putin’s Russia as an enemy and broadly support American efforts to deal it a blow in Ukraine. Since the invasion, a majority of Americans support Biden’s decision to send troops to Eastern Europe and 58 percent support NATO’s allowing countries, including Ukraine, to apply for membership.
Americans overwhelmingly support placing strict economic sanctions on Russia, sending military equipment and weapons to Ukraine, and stationing large numbers of U.S. military forces in NATO countries near Ukraine. Americans, smartly, believe that supporting Russian periphery states to fight wars against Russia advances American interests.
This is why many of the Trump administration’s foreign policies resonated deeply with the American people. While he emphasized an interest-based approach to foreign policy, the former president appreciated that a near-unanimity of Americans — almost 90 percent — believe that the U.S. ought to play a major leadership role in the world. From recognizing the Chinese Communist Party for the adversary that it is, to beginning to reverse years of military decline, to securing a $400 billion increase in defense spending from NATO countries and providing military support for Ukraine, the Trump administration recognized that “a strong America is a safe America.” These actions reflected the will of the American people, nearly two-thirds of whom support maintaining our military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, and a majority of whom still support maintaining our military presence in the Middle East. A recent Chicago Council poll found American support for NATO at an all-time high. While the number of Americans who believe we should stay out of world affairs is ticking upwards, two-thirds of Americans still think it will be best for the future of the country if we take an active part in world affairs.
Thankfully, candidates misinterpreting the views of the American people are few. Pennsylvania Republican Senate nominee Mehmet Oz called Putin’s actions “reprehensible,” and North Carolina Republican Senate nominee and current congressman Ted Budd declared that he was “proud to support critical military aid to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s aggression.” Tiffany Smiley, Washington Republican Senate candidate, echoed these sentiments, noting that “the world suffers with weak leadership,” and highlighting that “we have the space and the opportunity to protect Ukraine, and we rightfully should.” It is no wonder that Republican Senate and House leaders Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy have been steadfast supporters of a tough and principled U.S. foreign-policy posture, and only a single Republican senator, Josh Hawley of Missouri, opposed the admission of Sweden and Finland into NATO.
Former senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said, “You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.” In this case, the people’s opinions are facts that elected leaders should stop adulterating. Whatever some politicians might say, Americans clearly and overwhelmingly support a foreign policy that maintains the United States’ superpower status. The American people believe that Russia and China are both immediate and long-term threats to American security and values, and they support a robust, forward military presence to counter them. We would be wise to heed them.
Gabriel Scheinmann is the executive director of the Alexander Hamilton Society. Carrie Filipetti is the executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition.