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America's International Attitude

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

By wide margins, Americans believe their country should promote democracy and freedom on the international stage, according to the 2025 summer survey from the Ronald Reagan Foundation and Institute. This appears to be the case across parties and even among MAGA fans, by more than four in every five. From pages 4 (text) and 5 (chart) of the survey report:

Growing support for U.S. international engagement is not merely in the abstract; even larger majorities support what American leadership means in practical terms. Eighty- five percent believe that a strong U.S. military is essential to maintaining peace and prosperity, including 80% of Democrats, 93% of Republicans, and 96% of MAGA Republicans. Another 85% believe that American leadership is essential for promoting trade and boosting the economy, which is up from 78% last summer, including 86% of Democrats, 88% of Republicans, and 92% of MAGA Republicans. More than eight in ten (83%) say the United States has a moral obligation to stand up for human rights and democracy whenever possible, with agreement among 87% of Democrats, 81% of Republicans, and 84% of MAGA Republicans. A broad consensus across party lines still believes in the enduring principles of American leadership articulated by President Reagan.

The “enduring principles” refer to “peace through strength”.

This encouraging news suggests that the current regime in the poorly drained, once pestilent bogs of the Lower Potomac is entirely at odds with the American people. The foreign policy of coddling the mass-murder regime in Moscow and its various dictatorial friends lacks popular support at home.

Unlike their administration, Americans believe in having friendly relations with other governments that share traditional liberal values, that have been long-term American friends and allies.

Perhaps I’m reading too much into flawed survey numbers, or extrapolating too much from them. Nevertheless, it looks as if the whole of the Trump foreign policy agenda of burning bridges with friendly nations while kissing up to hostile dictatorships has been a failure domestically. The online weirdos like Tucker Carlson are shouting aimlessly at their own choirs of like-minded trolls and bots that convince them of their ability to persuade.

Persuasion does not seem to have been a strength of the administration so far. That’s a significant pitfall of surrounding oneself with spineless Yes!-men and lackeys toadying up to the boss at every public occasion.

Some may reply, “Well gee: Look who’s scouring the web to confirm his biases!” To which I say, “Yes—and you are no less prone to that tendency than I am.”