American Public Opinion on Trump’s Handling of National Security

JULY 2025

Nearly half of American voters (49%) think Trump’s national security policies are making us less safe, while only 38% believe he’s making us safer.

Key Findings

  • More than half of voters (58%), including 57% of Independents, disapprove of the Trump administration’s firing and removal of career national security officials and military officers.

  • Across the board, large majorities oppose the Trump administration’s actions and policies on the military and intelligence community:

    • 77% oppose firing women and people of color from leadership and replacing them with white men

    • 67% oppose Defense Secretary Hegseth’s use of Signal to discuss classified information

    • 65% oppose increasing intelligence collection on Greenland to support efforts to take control of the territory

    • 61% oppose removing intelligence analysts whose reports conflict with Trump’s politics.

Messaging Guidance

Most Americans prioritize other issues that more directly affect them — such as the economy, living costs, and tariffs. If raised, the following arguments are potential lines of attack against Trump’s approach to the military.

  • Donald Trump is undermining the independence, professionalism, and readiness of the U.S. military.

  • He has fired and dismissed senior military officers and is imposing political litmus tests to install people who are personally loyal to him.

  • He has tried to use the military to silence his critics and police American neighborhoods, even though our laws and Constitution are designed to prevent that.