The military is the top or one of the most popular of all central institutions. Positive views about it generally hold across most groups, although young people, Democrats, and women express more skepticism than older people, Republicans, and men. Are Donald Trump’s actions affecting its standing?
In new AP/NORC and Economist/YouGov polls, the military ranked at the top of the institutions tested. These findings echo those of Gallup’s long-running confidence measure. In 2025, 62% had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the military, 23% some, and 13% very little. Overall high confidence was 64% was a quarter century ago. As Gallup noted, “Small business or the military has held the top position in Gallup’s confidence list since 1989.”
Another measure of the public’s high regard comes from a question asked since 2002 on the honesty and ethical standards of people in more than 20 professions. In 2025, 76% rated nurses’ standards as high or very high, followed by grade school teachers (61%) and military officers (59%). Only 9% rated military officers’ standards as low or very low. In 2002, the first time Gallup asked about military officers, a slightly higher 65% gave them top marks.
Another poll broadens the assessment. A new Gallup with Honor poll asked people to compare those with and without military experience. Solid majorities trusted those with military experience more to deal with natural disasters (83%), provide foreign policy advice (70%), serve in community leadership positions (68%), represent the US in international forums (64%), and teach or mentor youth (62%).
The military’s success comes in part from its narrowly and clearly defined mission to protect and defend the country which the public thinks it performs well. The public has long seen expanding that mission with anything that thrusts the military into politics as risky. In the Gallup poll, people split about whether they trusted the military more (50%) than those without military experience (48%) to develop public policies that appealed across the political spectrum. In an early October Ipsos/Reuters poll 83% said the US military should remain politically neutral.
Most of the polls on deploying the National Guard to US cities show deep partisan splits, with Trump appearing to hold his loyal base. A late August Quinnipiac survey found 41% in favor of deploying National Guard troops in DC, with 56% opposed. An early September CBS/You Gov poll found around four in ten favored deploying the Guard in DC and other cities with 57% opposed. In a September NPR/Ipsos poll, around 35% were in favor, nearly half opposed. The October Reuters/Ipsos poll found 37% supporting a president’s authority to send troops into a state if the state government objects, while 48% were opposed.
In the national polls above that included the question, however, most people also said crime was increasing nationally. (Gallup’s new poll differs, showing a decline in its seriousness). In the polls above, Trump had higher approval on handling crime than on handling most other key issues. In new AP/NORC, Pew, and NBC polls, however, Republicans led Democrats on handling crime by 20, 18, and 22 points, respectively
In New York City, in a pre-election CBS/YouGov registered voter poll, 63% said they would want a new mayor to oppose Trump on the Guard there. In an early September Quinnipiac likely NYC voter poll, crime was the top problem. Yet 56% wanted the new mayor to do more to stand up to Trump on the issue, while 37% wanted the next mayor to work with Trump. In an October 23-27 Quinnipiac likely NYC voter poll, crime topped inflation as the most important issue to voters in casting their vote.
The polls above reflect some combination of antipathy or support for Trump, broader concerns about putting the military in politically charged environments, or perhaps a preference for local control. During his eventful Asian trip, Donald Trump commented on sending the National Guard to several cities. The president then added “if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard because we’re going to have safe cities.” Last Wednesday, he referred to deploying the military domestically. As with so many things Trump says, it is hard to know exactly what he plans. Few institutions today are rated as highly as the military and there appears to be no danger to its standing at this writing. Actions that could jeopardize it are risky indeed.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bowmanmarsico/2025/11/03/is-trump-undermining-the-militarys-standing-a-poll-review/
