American Public Opinion on Foreign Affairs: A 2025 Snapshot

A series of polls conducted by NPR, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and Ipsos in 2025 and late 2024 provide a detailed snapshot of American public opinion on international relations. The surveys cover perceptions of China, U.S. tariff policy, the war in Iran, the U.S. role in the world, and partisan divisions on foreign policy.

Perceptions of China and Tariffs

A poll conducted March 13-15, 2025, surveyed 1,025 adults (margin of error ±3.1%) on U.S.-China relations.

View of China’s Role:

Approximately 80% of respondents said China wants to be the dominant world leader.

• By a 56% to 29% margin, respondents view China as an economic threat rather than a military one.
• 13% believe China poses no threat to the U.S.
• Regarding the strategic relationship with China: 37% see it as a rival, 21% as an adversary, 20% as a necessary strategic partner, and 2% as an ally.

Opinions on Tariffs:

Majorities view tariffs as harmful to the U.S. in several areas:

Strong partisan differences exist: a majority of Republicans say tariffs are good for job creation (66%), the U.S. economy (64%), and their standard of living (52%). Independents and Democrats largely disagree.

• 62% oppose significantly reducing trade between the U.S. and China.
• 58% oppose increasing tariffs on Chinese imports.
• 70% support reducing tariffs in exchange for Chinese purchases of more U.S. agricultural products.
• 70% favor prohibiting U.S. companies from selling sensitive high-tech products to China.
• 53% oppose limiting Chinese students studying in the U.S.

Perceptions of the War in Iran

A separate poll conducted May 1-3, 2025, surveyed 1,018 adults (margin of error ±3.2%) on the war in Iran.

Impact on the U.S.:

Overwhelming majorities say the war has been bad for the U.S. cost of living (86%), national security (65%), and reputation abroad (72%).

• More respondents said the war has been good for China's global position (36%) than for U.S. national security (32%) or other U.S. interests.

Partisan Splits:

A majority of Republicans say the war has been good for U.S. national security (63%) and Israel's security (60%).

• Only 8% of Democrats and 29% of independents say it has been good for U.S. national security.
• 60% of Republicans say the war has been good for Israel's security; 20% of Democrats and 33% of independents agree.
• 58% of Republicans say Israel plays a positive role in the Middle East, while 83% of Democrats and 70% of independents say it plays a negative role.

Public Attention to Foreign Affairs

Only 42% of respondents follow U.S.-China relations closely.

Domestic issues receive more attention:

• The economy: 70%
• The war in Iran: 67%
• Immigration: 65%
• The Russia-Ukraine war: 43%

Views on U.S. Global Role and Moral Leadership

A third poll, conducted in December 2024, surveyed 1,021 Americans (margin of error ±3.3%) as a follow-up to a similar 2017 survey.

Moral Leadership:

61% believe the U.S. should be a moral leader in the world. Yet only 39% believe the U.S. currently is a moral leader — a sharp decrease from 60% in 2017.

• Nearly half of the country prefers Washington to avoid involvement in the affairs of other countries.

Foreign Policy Priorities:

• 46% prioritize U.S. policy focusing on "enriching America and Americans."
• 32% prioritize promoting democracy and human rights in other countries — down from 42% in 2017.

Perceptions of Global Influence:

64% view the U.S. as the world's top military power and a "superpower." Yet 50% believe the U.S. has lost global influence in the last five years.

• 57% believe China has been gaining influence.
• 40% consider China the leader in technology development, compared to 23% for the U.S.

Partisan Divisions on Other Issues:

• "America First" vs. Democracy Promotion: 67% of Republicans and 45% of independents prioritize enriching America, while 52% of Democrats prioritize promoting democracy and human rights abroad.
• Ukraine Aid: 60% of Democrats and 43% of independents believe the U.S. is not providing enough support to Kyiv, whereas 31% of Republicans believe it is providing too much.
• Russia Support: 62% of Democrats believe the U.S. is giving Russia too much support, compared to 32% of Republicans.

Taiwan Defense:

36% believe the U.S. would have a responsibility to defend Taiwan militarily if China used force. However, 41% responded with "don't know" when asked about military intervention in Taiwan.