Poll Shows Americans Support US Involvement Abroad Despite Koch Funding

August 9, 2024 – A recent poll conducted by the Defense Priorities think tank, which is funded by the isolationist Koch family and closely associated with Senator Rand Paul, reveals a surprising trend among American voters. Despite the think tank's historical opposition to foreign aid and military interventions, the poll indicates that a significant majority of Americans favor a robust U.S. presence on the international stage, particularly in support of Ukraine against Russian aggression. The poll shows that 66% of respondents believe U.S. defense spending should either increase or remain at its current level of approximately $860 billion annually. Only 25% advocate for a reduction in military spending. Furthermore, 65% of those surveyed support providing additional military assistance to Ukraine, with a notable 45% favoring conditional aid that aims to prevent direct U.S. or NATO involvement in the conflict. Interestingly, the poll also highlights a willingness among Americans to allow Ukraine to utilize U.S. weapons against Russia, with 53% either neutral or opposed to the idea that the U.S. should restrict Ukraine from striking back. Defense Priorities has embraced these findings, emphasizing that a significant portion of respondents supports conditional aid to mitigate the risk of escalation. Initially launched in 2016 to promote an isolationist foreign policy, Defense Priorities now finds itself at odds with its founding principles, reflecting a broader shift in public sentiment towards a more engaged U.S. military role abroad.