Trump voters believe Israel has the right to defend itself and remain committed to U.S. military support for the country, according to a new survey first shared with National Review.
The poll is one of a series of surveys commissioned by the Vandenberg Coalition since June to get a pulse on where Trump voters stand on foreign policy. It was conducted by TargetPoint from September 22 through 29, just a few weeks before Israel and Hamas agreed to President Trump’s Gaza cease-fire plan. After two years held captive by Hamas, all twenty living hostages were finally released in accordance with Trump’s peace deal.
Seventy-nine percent of the 1,217 Trump voters surveyed somewhat or strongly agreed that “Israel has a right to defend itself against threats and threats from its hostile neighbors and the United States should continue its strong military support for Israel,” down from 83 percent of those surveyed in June.
Survey respondents expressed varying opinions when asked under which conditions the war in Gaza should be ended. According to the poll, 44 percent believe the war should end “only once Israel has all the hostages back AND has reasonably neutralized Hamas.” Thirty-two percent of Trump voters agreed that “the war should be ended immediately because of humanitarian suffering in Gaza,” with 14 percent saying the war should end “once Israel has reasonably neutralized Hamas” and 11 percent “once Israel has all the hostages back.”
Concern about humanitarian suffering in Gaza is particularly pronounced among survey respondents under age 30. The poll also shows slackening support for Israel among young Trump voters, which tracks with nationwide softening in support for the Jewish state across both parties, particularly over the last two years.
A majority of survey respondents also expressed support for U.S. involvement in rebuilding a post-war Gaza in some form. Asked what role the U.S. should play, 44 percent of Trump voters agreed that the U.S. “should encourage other Arab countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to finance the rebuilding of Gaza and take in Palestinians.” Thirty-five percent said the U.S. “should support an organization that distributes humanitarian assistance and helps to restore essential services,” 20 percent said the U.S. “should temporarily offer American troops as a security and training force,” and 19 percent said the U.S. “should help finance the rebuilding of Gaza.” Only 18 percent of survey respondents said the U.S. should have no role in restoring a post-war Gaza.
The poll suggests that the president’s foreign policy remains popular among his supporters. According to the survey, 83 percent of Trump voters reported being either somewhat or very satisfied with Trump’s foreign policy and 91 percent agreed that “the world is a safer place with strong, principled American leadership.” Eighty-two percent of Trump voters also favor increasing military spending “to ensure America stays strong,” a softening of support from the 87 percent support figure from June.
Trump voters continue to view China, Russia, and Iran high national security threats to the U.S., though Trump voters’ perceptions of Iran’s high threat level have receded since prior surveys following the administration’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear sites earlier this summer.