Americans Doubt Military Readiness but Want Trump-Led U.S. Power on World Stage

A new national defense survey reveals what many Americans already know deep down: the world is getting more dangerous, and the United States can no longer afford weak leadership, political games, or a military more focused on diversity training than combat readiness.

The 2025 Reagan National Defense Survey, released this week, found that 64% of Americans want the U.S. to assert greater global leadership, even as confidence in the military's ability to win wars and deter enemies has plunged.

Just 49% of Americans believe the military could win a war overseas, and only 45% think it can deter foreign aggression. These numbers should alarm everyone especially at a time when threats from China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea are rapidly escalating.

Perhaps the most telling number: only 49% of Americans have a “great deal” of confidence in the military a 21-point drop since 2018. That’s not an accident. It’s the result of years of politicization, woke policies, and failed leadership under Joe Biden that has taken our focus away from preparing to fight and win wars.

“It all has to do with something around kind of the politicization of the military,” said Rachel Hoff, policy director at the Reagan Institute. “The American people really want to keep politics out of the military and keep the military focused on its core warfighting mission.”

The numbers don’t lie:

• Support for defending Taiwan if China invades has skyrocketed to 60%, up 12 points from last year.

• 64% of Americans back sending U.S. weapons to Ukraine, with a noticeable surge in support from Republican voters, likely driven by Trump's leadership on peace talks.

• Americans overwhelmingly view China as the greatest strategic threat far outpacing Russia, Iran, or North Korea.

These results paint a clear picture. Americans understand the world is a dangerous place and that a strong United States is essential to peace. They recognize that China is the top threat not climate change, not MAGA Republicans, but a Communist regime hellbent on global domination.

What they don’t see is a Pentagon or a Commander-in-Chief that’s ready to meet that challenge. And that’s where President Donald Trump steps back into the spotlight.

Unlike Biden, Trump doesn’t hand over prisoners to dictators like Maduro and pretend it’s diplomacy. He doesn’t lead from behind. And he doesn’t allow our troops to be used as guinea pigs for leftist social experiments. He rebuilds strength. He restores respect. And under his leadership, peace was achieved through strength, not surrender.

“The American people see the threats around the world. They understand who our friends and adversaries are. They want the U.S. to lead globally and to stand up in defense of freedom.”

The public wants leadership not photo ops. They want deterrence not DEI consultants. They want a military that’s feared by enemies and respected by allies, not one that’s confused about its mission.

This survey is a warning to Washington elites and defense bureaucrats: Get serious or get out of the way. The American people aren’t interested in endless posturing or partisan games. They want victory, strength, and security.

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