FOX News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin shared the findings of the annual Reagan National Defense Survey, shedding light on the growing dissatisfaction among Americans with the direction the country is heading. The survey, conducted ahead of the Reagan National Defense Forum, showed that a staggering 70% of American adults believe the U.S. is on the wrong track, while only 25% think it is headed in the right direction. This marks a significant shift since 2018, when 54% believed the country was on the wrong track and 27% believed it was going in the right direction.
The survey also revealed a decline in confidence in Congress, with only 5% expressing a “great deal” of confidence and 21% expressing “some” confidence. In contrast, 26% said they had “a little” confidence, while a concerning 43% said they had “not much at all.” These numbers reflect a decline in Americans’ trust in the legislative branch of the federal government since 2018, when 39% expressed either a “great deal” or “some” confidence in Congress.
When asked about the most important problems facing the country, Americans cited inflation, the price of gas and groceries, jobs, the economy, politics, partisanship, corruption, and incompetent leaders, and immigration as their top concerns. The survey also revealed widespread worry about the possibility of a conventional military attack, with 62% expressing concern, while 25% said they were not concerned. Additionally, 85% expressed concern about a potential cyberattack, 81% about a potential terrorist attack, and 87% about political division leading to violence within the U.S.
Regarding national defense, a majority of Americans (55%) believed that the U.S. relies too heavily on non-allied countries for essential materials necessary for national security. In comparison, 16% disagreed, and 18% believed it “depends.” Furthermore, 69% of respondents felt that the U.S. needs to enhance its domestic manufacturing capacity for national defense, while 70% believed that more domestic manufacturing capacity was necessary to meet crisis-related production needs.
The survey, in its 6th year and conducted as part of the 10th Reagan National Defense Forum, included the participation of 2,506 U.S. adults who were surveyed from October 27 to November 5. These results highlight the growing concerns and dissatisfaction among Americans about the direction of the country and its national security.
It is important to note that the survey findings reflect the sentiments of the participants during the specified time period and do not represent the views of all Americans. However, the results provide valuable insights into the current state of public opinion on critical issues facing the nation.
Brandon Gillespie is an associate editor at [News Outlet]. Follow him on Twitter at @brandon_cg for the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more political content.
