How Americans View the Israel-Hamas Conflict 2 Years Into the War
About four-in-ten U.S. adults (39%) now say Israel is going too far in its military operation against Hamas. This is up from 31% a year ago and 27% in late 2023.
Politics & Policy
Topic Spotlight
- Trump’s Job Approval: 40% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling his job as president, according to a late September survey. Vice President Vance and congressional leaders in both parties are also viewed more negatively than positively. (Read the short read)
- Immigration: 47% of Americans disapprove of the Trump administration’s overall approach to immigration, while 42% approve, according to a June survey. But evaluations are largely split along partisan lines. (Read the report)
- Voters in 2024: Trump won the 2024 presidential election with a voter coalition that was more racially and ethnically diverse than in 2020 or 2016. (Read the report)
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Politics & Policy
Publications
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Worries About Terrorism Subside in Mid-America
Introduction and Summary The public’s worries over terrorism have declined since mid-October, despite government warnings of new attacks and recurring anthrax incidents. But this decrease in concern is not being felt uniformly across the country, and is not associated with greater confidence in the government’s ability to deal with the terrorist threat. If anything, Americans […]
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America’s New Internationalist Point of View
Introduction and Summary The terrorist attacks and the war in Afghanistan have created a new internationalist sentiment among the public. There is much more support for a multilateral foreign policy than before Sept.11, with roughly six-in-ten (59%) now saying that the interests of allies should be taken into account by U.S. policymakers. By about a […]
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Attacks at Home Draw More Interest than War Abroad
Introduction and Summary As reports of anthrax attacks dominate the media, the public is paying far greater attention to news of terrorism at home than to the war in Afghanistan. Interest in terrorist attacks is now running as high as during the early days after Sept. 11 – fully 78% are following news of terrorism […]
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The View Before 9/11: America’s Place in the World
Report Summary America’s view of the world changed dramatically, and perhaps permanently, on Sept. 11. But in order to measure the nature and extent of these changes it is important to understand where attitudes toward international issues stood before the attacks occurred. A three-month survey by the Pew Research Center, in collaboration with the Council […]
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Public Remains Steady in Face of Anthrax Scare
Introduction and Summary Reports of new anthrax cases in New York and elsewhere are not raising public anxiety or further demoralizing Americans. Reports of depression, sleeplessness and concern over renewed terrorism have not increased following the news on Oct. 12 that an NBC employee had been infected with anthrax. In the wake of those reports, […]
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Just War Tradition and the New War on Terrorism
National Press Club Washington, D.C. A discussion with: Jean Bethke Elshtain, Professor, University of Chicago and Co-chair, Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life Professor Elshtain is a political philosopher whose task has been to show the connections between our political and our ethical convictions. Her works include Augustine and the Limits of Politics and […]
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Military Action A Higher Priority Than Homeland Defense
Introduction and Summary The public’s strong commitment to the use of military force in retaliation for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is predicated at least in part on the idea that a good offense represents the best defense. By 44%-33%, Americans think that taking military action abroad to destroy global terrorist networks is more important […]
Signature Reports
Changing Partisan Coalitions in a Politically Divided Nation
Amid shifts in demographics and partisan allegiances, registered voters are now evenly split between the Democratic Party and the GOP.
Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics
Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.
Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology
Pew Research Center’s political typology provides a roadmap to today’s fractured political landscape. It organizes the public into nine distinct groups, based on an analysis of their attitudes and values. Even in a polarized era, the 2021 survey reveals deep divisions in both partisan coalitions.
In a Politically Polarized Era, Sharp Divides in Both Partisan Coalitions
Partisanship remains the strongest factor dividing the American public. Yet there are substantial divisions within both parties on fundamental political values, views of current issues and the severity of the problems facing the nation.
