Majority Of Voters Oppose Deploying National Guard To D.C., Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Support Drops For U.S. Military Aid To Israel As 50% Think Israel Is Committing Genocide In Gaza

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In the wake of President Donald Trump's decision to send National Guard troops to Washington D.C. in an effort to reduce crime, voters 56 - 41 percent oppose the move, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today.

There are wide partisan and gender differences.

Republicans (86 - 12 percent) support the president's decision to deploy the National Guard to the nation's capital to reduce crime, while Democrats (93 - 5 percent) and independents (61 - 34 percent) oppose it.

Men are split about the president's decision, with 50 percent supporting it and 47 percent opposing it, while women (63 - 33 percent) oppose it.

"Posting the National Guard in D.C. to fight local crime gets faint support, with independent voters giving the deployment a big thumbs down," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

PRESIDENT TRUMP

Thirty-seven percent of voters approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 55 percent disapprove. In Quinnipiac University's July 16 poll, 40 percent of voters approved and 54 percent disapproved.

In today's poll, Republicans (84 - 9 percent) approve, while Democrats (98 - 1 percent) and independents (58 - 31 percent) disapprove.

Voters were asked about Trump's handling of six issues...

  • crime: 42 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove, with 4 percent not offering an opinion;
  • talks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine: 40 percent approve, while 52 percent disapprove, with 7 percent not offering an opinion;
  • foreign policy: 40 percent approve, while 56 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
  • the economy: 39 percent approve, while 57 percent disapprove, with 4 percent not offering an opinion;
  • trade: 38 percent approve, while 56 percent disapprove, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
  • the Israel - Hamas conflict: 34 percent approve, while 53 percent disapprove, with 12 percent not offering an opinion.

ISRAEL - HAMAS - GAZA

Six in 10 voters (60 percent) oppose the United States sending more military aid to Israel for their efforts in the war with Hamas, while 32 percent support it.

This is the highest level of opposition and lowest level of support for the United States sending more military aid to Israel since Quinnipiac University first asked this question of registered voters on November 2, 2023, in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

In today's poll, Democrats (75 - 18 percent) and independents (66 - 27 percent) oppose sending more military aid to Israel for their efforts in the war with Hamas, while Republicans (56 - 37 percent) support it.

Voters were asked whether their sympathies lie more with the Israelis or more with the Palestinians based on what they know about the situation in the Middle East. Thirty-seven percent of voters say the Palestinians, while 36 percent say the Israelis, and 27 percent did not offer an opinion.

This is an all-time high for the Palestinians and an all-time low for the Israelis since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question of registered voters in December 2001.

Fifty percent of voters think Israel is committing genocide based on what they know about the situation in Gaza, while 35 percent do not think Israel is committing genocide and 15 percent did not offer an opinion.

Democrats (77 - 11 percent) and independents (51 - 34 percent) think Israel is committing genocide, while Republicans (64 - 20 percent) do not think Israel is committing genocide.

"Support for the Palestinians grows while the appetite for funding Israel militarily dips sharply. And a harsh assessment of the way Israel is prosecuting the Gaza campaign invokes a word of infamy," added Malloy.

RUSSIA - UKRAINE

Four in 10 voters (40 percent) are either very confident (15 percent) or somewhat confident (25 percent) that President Trump can broker a permanent peace between Ukraine and Russia, while 59 percent are either not so confident (20 percent) or not confident at all (39 percent).

Voters 76 - 18 percent do not trust that Russian President Vladimir Putin will stand by any peace agreement to end the war between Russia and Ukraine if one is reached.

Democrats (91 - 7 percent), independents (77 - 16 percent), and Republicans (62 - 29 percent) do not trust that Putin will stand by any peace agreement between the two countries if one is reached.

Fifty percent of voters would oppose the U.S. providing ground troops as part of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine if it led to a deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, while 40 percent would support it.

Voters 62 - 29 percent would support the U.S. providing military air support to Ukraine if it led to a deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Democrats (74 - 18 percent), independents (61 - 31 percent), and Republicans (57 - 36 percent) would support the U.S. providing military air support to Ukraine if it led to a deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

"Voters have little confidence in President Trump's effort to broker peace in Ukraine, and most voters don't trust Vladimir Putin to keep a peace deal if one were reached. And though the president has ruled out putting U.S. troops in the war theater to keep the peace, four out of 10 voters would support it," added Malloy.

THE EPSTEIN FILES

Seven out of 10 voters (70 percent) say they are following news about the Jeffrey Epstein files either very closely (27 percent) or somewhat closely (43 percent), while 28 percent say they are following it not too closely.

Two-thirds of voters (67 percent) disapprove of the way the Trump administration is handling the Jeffrey Epstein files, while 19 percent approve and 14 percent did not offer an opinion. This compares to Quinnipiac University's July 16 poll when 63 percent of voters disapproved, 17 percent approved, and 20 percent did not offer an opinion.

In today's poll, 44 percent of Republicans approve of the way the Trump administration is handling the Epstein files, while 34 percent disapprove and 22 percent did not offer an opinion.

Democrats (92 - 2 percent) and independents (73 - 12 percent) disapprove of the way the Trump administration is handling the Epstein files.

Voters 73 - 16 percent think the U.S. Justice Department is not being transparent in the way it is handling the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.

SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS

Voters were asked about the Trump administration's plan for a comprehensive internal review of exhibitions at eight of the Smithsonian museums to ensure they comply with President Trump's directives and the need for museums to adjust content that comes into question. Six in 10 voters (60 percent) oppose the review, while 33 percent support it.

Republicans (68 - 18 percent) support the review, while Democrats (94 - 5 percent) and independents (66 - 29 percent) oppose the review.

1,220 self-identified registered voters nationwide were surveyed from August 21st - 25th with a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points, including the design effect.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on probability-based samples using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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