Just 60% of the American public have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the US military’s ability to defend the nation from threats a new Gallup poll shows, according to Politico, the lowest such rating since 1997 and a continuance of a five-year downward trend.
While the level of faith in the military is higher than its recent low in 1980, when just 50% of Americans had confidence in the military after the Vietnam era and the Iranian hostage crisis, public opinion has been hit by the withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as continual attacks by right wingers who claim the military’s policies on LGBTQ rights and abortion access have weakened the US military. In addition, false conservative talking points claiming that the military is running out of ammunition has also likely undermined public confidence in the readiness of our military.