ANALYSIS
Security first: Americans want a foreign policy that protects them at home
A Gallup poll found that Americans want their foreign policy to make them safer and more prosperous, prioritizing direct threats and tangible domestic benefits over globalist or idealistic goals.
Navy signaling to an E-2D Hawkeye aircraft.
Just before the recent attacks by United States and Israel against Iran, the public opinion in the U.S. clearly favored protecting territory and the national economy over more ambitious international commitments. According to Gallup's annual "World Affairs" poll, conducted from Feb. 2-16, 2026, and released March 5, citizens place direct threats and domestic stability at the forefront.
The poll reveals that preventing international terrorism is the top priority (83% consider it "very important"), followed by curbing the proliferation of nuclear weapons (80%) and ensuring a stable energy supply (76%). These immediate security concerns dominated the agenda in an increasingly volatile international context, marked by tensions with the Iranian regime and the recent intervention in Venezuela.
In the background, but still with strong support, are more pragmatic objectives: collaboration with multinational organizations such as NATO (68%), ensuring the security of allies (65%) and promoting favorable trade policies (64%). At the same time, 61% of Americans support reducing poverty and disease on a global scale, while 55% value promoting human rights in other countries.
However, more idealistic goals receive less enthusiasm. Only 46% consider it "very important" to protect weaker nations from external aggression, 36% to help build democracies and just 31% to boost economic development in other countries. Most see these as desirable goals, but clearly secondary to national interests.
Changes over the past year
Several objectives have gained ground in the past 12 months. The importance of defending the security of allies rose from 59% to 65%, the promotion of human rights went from 48% to 55%, and protection of weak nations (not measured since 2008) rose from 36% to 46%. These increases reflect a greater perception of global instability.
Partisan differences: Divergent priorities
Republicans place greater importance on energy supply and domestic priorities. In contrast, Democrats and independents see working with NATO, reducing global poverty and disease, defending allies and promoting human rights as greater priorities. Among Democrats, a majority considers it "very important" to protect weaker nations. In addition, Democrats double Republicans in their assessment of helping build democracies and foster economic development abroad.
While Republicans largely share the priorities of citizens as a whole, two clear goals stand out among Democrats: strengthening cooperation with NATO to ensure the security of the United States and its allies, and supporting initiatives aimed at reducing poverty and disease globally.
The debate over NATO and foreign aid
According to Gallup, nearly half of Americans (49%) prefer to maintain the current level of commitment to NATO, while support for greater involvement has grown to 28% (up from 20% in 2024). Only 14% want to reduce it without leaving the alliance, and 7% prefer to withdraw completely.
Support for stepping up participation has risen especially since 2024 among Democrats (+22 points, to 49%), while among Republicans a slight majority (52%) prefers to maintain the status quo, and only 6% favor an increase.
Regarding foreign aid, 42% of Americans believe the U.S. spends too much, 31% believe it spends too little and 21% think the level is adequate. This picture contrasts with the 2000s, when 53% to 65% believed there was too much spending.
In 2009, majorities of Republicans (66%), independents (70%) and Democrats (58%) agreed that the United States spent too much on foreign aid. Democrats have experienced a complete turnaround: now 58% say the country spends too little, while 61% of Republicans still believe it spends too much. According to Gallup, the shift among Democrats could be attributed to Trump's cuts to U.S. spending on foreign aid.
Consensus on trade
The pollster's annual measure of the economic impact of international trade shows that 82% of Americans continue to see foreign trade as an opportunity to boost growth, compared with 13% who perceive it as a threat stemming from imports.
Last year, this indicator had already jumped 20 points to stand at 81%, a figure close to the high of 79% recorded at the end of Trump's first term.
Support for international trade remains high among the three major political groups, albeit with nuances. Support is highest among Democrats (89%), followed by independents (81%) and Republicans (74%). Gallup notes that "all three groups viewed trade in similarly positive terms during Trump’s first presidency, but they were less positive during Joe Biden's presidency."
Central pillars of foreign policy
Support for maintaining U.S. participation in NATO has increased in recent years. According to Gallup, this shift is almost entirely explained by a change in stance among Democratic voters, who now show greater enthusiasm for the alliance.
Perceptions of international aid spending have evolved markedly. In contrast to 2009, when the idea that the country was spending too much predicated, fewer now hold that view, and the number of Americans, especially Democrats, who consider investment in this area to be insufficient has grown.
Despite partisan differences on other issues, foreign trade continues to be seen as a clear economic opportunity. Most Democrats, independents and Republicans agree that trade openness contributes to the country's growth, maintaining a broad consensus around this point.
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