Foreign policy has long been a central concern of Americans. It’s a subject that spans the globe and has affected every aspect of our lives, from the war in Ukraine to global trade to infectious diseases. Throughout history, America has fought some of the world’s worst evils, from fascism in Europe to communism on a global scale and Islamic terrorists today. It’s no wonder that foreign policy is one of the top issues voters consider when evaluating candidates for president.
Across the world, a strong ideological divide exists when it comes to views of international engagement. In most countries, people on the left are much more likely than those on the right to say it is important for their country to be active in world affairs. In the United States, this gap is even more pronounced. While 65% of Democrats and Independents say it is important for the U.S. to be involved in world affairs, only 30% of Republicans and conservatives agree.
Americans are split when it comes to identifying the most important goals in foreign policy. Some policies — such as limiting the power of Iran and North Korea — are viewed as top priorities by all parties, but others are more specific to ideology, such as supporting Israel and helping Ukraine. Among Democrats, for instance, nearly four-in-ten believe these are top foreign policy priorities, while just three-in-ten do for Republicans.
During last night’s debate, the candidates highlighted their contrasting approaches to a number of different international challenges. However, there was a notable thematic similarity in how both candidates addressed questions about standing up to foreign pressure.